Unsung Reloaded
by Qym
Summary: Rewritten -- Miley wrote a song that she's not sure she can perform. It's a love song... for Lilly. How will Lilly react? But getting the girl is only the tip of the iceberg. Eventual Liley.
1. Getting It On Paper

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Special Note:** This is not a new story -- it is a rewritten version of the original Unsung. It's posted as a separate entity, because I can't bring myself to take down my old work. Special thanks go to Damien J. Frost, for a very nice rewrite. Please direct all praise to him. I'm posting this because I'm a selfish creature who couldn't bear to part with the idea and let someone else post it.

**Chapter 1**

Getting it on Paper

_After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music._ - Aldous Huxley

**--**

The guitar, she felt, was mocking her. It was perfectly tuned, but she couldn't make it sound how she wanted. Each sweet tang was torture – the melody was there, in her head, but it wouldn't translate through to her fingertips. The song she was trying to write was very important to her and it needed to be perfect. This single song would make or break a relationship. It needed to be clear and concise, almost blunt, but at the same time moving and gentle. Every word needed to come directly from her heart.

She strummed the guitar's taut strings idly, gazing out at the ocean. It glittered in the fading late September sun. She was seated on the bench on the back porch enjoying the cool salt air and the rhythmic crashing of the waves on the shore. As her father had told her often, it was a great place to think.

Speaking of her father, he and Jackson were out in the front shooting hoops and Miley could vaguely hear Jackson's indignant howls as Robby Ray continuously stopped him from scoring. It brought a small smile to her face; Jackson probably wished he'd never told Robby to stop taking it easy on him.

Her thoughts turned to the subject matter for her newest song and her smile grew. There was just something about that smile, those sparkling eyes, that loose blonde hair that called to her. Lately it was hard to look at her crush without wanting to run her fingers across that tanned skin, kiss those inviting lips. But, she knew, acting on those impulses would be damning to the friendship she shared with Lilly.

She hummed a few notes under her breath before opening her mouth. It was disappointing – she expected at least a few words to pop out, but silence reigned. Frustrated, she went back to strumming the strings and thinking quietly. She was so deep in thought that she didn't even notice Robby Ray settle down next to her, spinning a basketball between his thumbs.

"Miles, what are you doing out here?"

She jumped at his voice and let out a small squeak of surprise, and the faint guitar music ceased. She smiled sheepishly up at her father.

"Thinking, mostly," she replied after a moment, her heart slowing down.

"Trying to write a song?" he asked nonchalantly, holding onto the ball and spinning it on one finger with mild success.

"Try being the key word." Miley eased the instrument off her lap and onto the ground by her feet. "Not succeeding, really."

"What's the occasion?" He rolled the basketball back towards the house. "No new recordings coming up, no birthdays, no holidays." He took the guitar and strummed a few bars.

"It's complicated." She wrung her hands nervously in her lap. This wasn't something she wanted to discuss with her dad just yet – if ever, really.

"I'm listening." He lazily tossed an arm over her shoulders, awkwardly giving her a hug.

After debating with herself for a moment, she relented, slightly. "It's for someone special. A song that nobody else will hear. I just can't put how I feel into words," she groaned, throwing her hands up. "It's really frustrating! It's not supposed to be this hard…" She leaned her head on his chest.

"So it's a love song, eh?"

Miley blushed, though he wouldn't see it in the rapidly growing darkness. "Yeah… A private love song."

"So you're not going to tell your dear old dad who it's for?" He rubbed his little nub of a goatee thoughtfully. "It's not Oliver, is it?"

"No! Ew!" She cried, shuddering. What would make him think that? "Never!"

He grinned good-naturedly, pushing her playfully with his shoulder. "Just makin' sure. You've never written a song for someone before, far as I know. Must be someone pretty special."

Miley stalled a moment by reaching for the guitar and stealing it back. "I'll tell you when I'm ready," she promised.

He rubbed her back in reassurance. "Take your time, bud. My ear's always –" A large crash from the living room cut off his words and sent him flying inside. Miley smiled as Jackson's lame cries floated to her ears.

"It wasn't me! I swear that vase wasn't there the last time I flipped over the couch! It got in my way. Miley did it!"

She closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath. The words she needed were there; she just needed to let them flow without thinking too hard about it. She started playing, and slowly, like drops of water from a leaky faucet, they came. She caught them on a scrap of paper, scribbling madly to make sure she got all of it down.

--

A short way down the beach, a certain blonde male grimaced at the sand gathering in his shoes. He now wished he had worn a pair of sandals instead, but it was too late for regrets. He gingerly stepped through the sand heading inland. It had been quite a few months since he'd sent the rose to Miley and he felt that he'd changed enough for her to consider dating him again.

The faint strains of a soft melody danced through his ears. It was catchy, that was for sure, and he knew exactly who was singing it. That was a voice he wouldn't forget for years to come. It brought a dashing smile to his dashing features. He followed the music and crept up to see the girl he was infatuated with. He made sure to stay hidden, though. He didn't know how she'd react to his appearing in her backyard without an invite.

The song itself was captivating. It was slow and heartfelt, and the words were full of longing and passion. His smile widened; Miley obviously had been missing him since he had last been in Malibu. It was heartening to find that she still wanted him as well. How surprised she'd be to see him at school tomorrow. Then, perhaps, she'd sing her song for him. Really, he couldn't imagine who else the song could be for. Miley was pining for him, or his name wasn't Jake Ryan.

He conveniently ignored the fact that his real name was Leslie as he slipped away, his smile still in place as he walked off down the beach.

--

Miley clutched the guitar to her chest, unaware of her departing audience. She folded the finished lyrics up and slid them into her back pocket. The song was needed a few tweaks, but it was almost there. She hoped Lilly would like it. After talking with Robby Ray the words and music had just flowed, as she had hoped they would. Tomorrow, she promised silently, she'd play this for the object of her affection. She had to get this off her chest before it ate her alive.

She just hoped that her feelings were reciprocated. Friendship was only one step away from dating, she told herself. Miley didn't know what she'd do if Lilly reacted badly. She was afraid that she was risking her best friend for something as silly as a crush. She'd been ignoring it for months now, and would have continued save that it was getting harder and harder to ignore the butterflies in her stomach every time Lilly got close to her.

Sleep that night was fitful as she tossed and turned, her nightmares keeping her from getting any real rest. In her dreams, Miley presented the song to Lilly, only for the blonde to laugh as she turned and walked away. She woke in a cold sweat with the sun just peeking over the horizon. Her mind was full of doubt but she refused to forget the promise she made herself. Her distraction and fear followed her to school, where she dropped her head against a locker and let it sit there, unmoving.

She glanced down the hallway, barely tilting her head to the side. Blonde hair walked into her line of vision, and her heart began pounding wildly. She wanted madly to wipe her clammy hands on her skirt. Her lips felt much too dry but she didn't dare apply more lip gloss.

"Miley! Why didn't you wait for me before school?" Lilly stopped a few feet away, hands placed on her hips, eyebrows narrowed accusingly. She was obviously upset.

Miley removed her head from the locker and stood up straight, meeting the eyes of the first female she'd ever been taken with. She tried to smile, but it ended up as more of a grimace, and Miley thought she probably looked like a dying cow rather than a happy girl.

"I'm sorry, Lilly. I was just really distracted this morning. It was an accident," she apologized.

Lilly stared at Miley for a long moment, but didn't relent. Her angry glare remained as she marched away, still upset. "See you in class."

Internally the brunette berated herself, shaking her head angrily. Only a professional screw up like her could get her best friend upset without thinking.

She shrieked in surprise as she was forcefully knocked from her thoughts by Oliver pounding the locker next to Miley's. It popped open and he shut it immediately, eyes darting around, hoping the owner wasn't around to see him. He grinned at her.

"What's got Lilly so wound up?"

Miley's shoulders drooped. "I forgot to walk to school with her this morning."

"Wow, that's rough," he commented, tilting his head in concern and leaning against the locker he had punished. "You've never forgotten before. Is something wrong?"

"Can you keep your mouth shut?" Miley snatched the front of his shirt, drawing him so that their noses were almost touching. She stared into his eyes, trying to act intimidating. Apparently it worked; he struggled to get away.

"If you'll let me go!" he nearly squeaked. He hated that she had such a strong death grip. "I can keep a secret without being threatened, you know."

"Quiet!" Miley released him. "Remember, not a word to _anyone_, got it?" she growled ominously.

He nodded, confused. "I can't tell Lilly?"

"Especially not Lilly. Since…" her tough girl act faded as she built up the courage to spill her secret to her friend. "Well, it's about her." Miley swallowed roughly, finding it difficult to continue, but knowing she needed to. It would make her feel better to know that she had some support if something went wrong. "I kind of… like her. A lot. And I wrote a song for –"

"Me." Miley froze in fear as someone tapped her shoulder. Stiffly, she turned to see Jake Ryan standing behind her, his dark shades lowered, giving her a sideways smirk. He just oozed cockiness. "I was on the beach last night, and I heard you singing. I can't wait to hear all of it. I'll meet you at the beach, okay? In that little hidden cove," he said as he walked off, his air of superiority almost oozing off him.

Miley shook her head and tried to protest reaching after him, but he was quickly surrounded by the ever-present crowd of high schoolers.

"You like Lilly?!" The dam Oliver been holding back while Jake was around burst, and he looked around sheepishly, hoping no one heard his outburst. "Like, _like_ like?" She nodded in confirmation. "You like Lilly, but you wrote Jake a song," he continued, more quietly, his face twisted in confusion.

Rolling her eyes, she hit his forehead with the heel of her hand. "No, you doughnut! I like Lilly and I wrote the song for Lilly. I don't know how bighead boy overheard me, but it's not for him. But now Lilly's angry with me." Sighing in frustration, she leaned against the locker next to her. She stood up again almost instantly, though, a brilliant idea popping into her head. "Oliver, you've got to get her to the beach where I'm apparently meeting Jake. She has to hear it. I can let Jake's massive ego down there, where it'll be private."

"Won't Jake be ticked off at you? For turning him down again?" Oliver was beginning to regret having two female best friends. Girls were so complicated.

"Yes, that's why I can't tell him in public! He'd cause a scene and totally embarrass me! This way, hopefully he'll take it like a man and walk away." To Miley, her logic was fool-proof and well thought out. Reasonable. To Oliver, the logic was flawed and rushed.

"But Jake already said he wasn't going to spill your secret," he argued back, still sure this wasn't the best way to deal with the current situation.

"But nothing. No movie-star wants to be dumped twice, especially in public. Maybe he'd keep his mouth shut about Hannah, but he'd still cause a fuss. Jake was made for publicity. Anything that happens to him gets into the papers, and he makes sure it does."

Oliver shrugged, giving in. He knew it was pointless to argue with Miley when she got worked up like this. "Alright… If you say so."

She hugged him briefly. "You're the best, Oliver."

"That's why they call me Smokin' Oken." He tried to mimic Jake's smile, but failed miserably.

They parted smiling, not sure how this mix-up was going to turn out. It wasn't until later that Miley had time to think about what happened that morning. Oliver had hardly batted an eye over her confession, almost as if he'd known about it all along. She'd have to talk to him about it, later. Oliver was a great friend, she realized, not for the first time. She could only hope that Lilly would be as open minded.

During the course of the school day, Miley reacted politely to Jake's attempted conversations, but remained a little cold, trying to dissuade him from continuing. His usual cocky demeanor and relative dense head managed to repel all of her efforts. Lilly completely ignored her and Oliver was relegated to acting as the go-between. Lilly's cold shoulder was getting frustrating; Miley wanted to talk to her, but Lilly was having none of it.

"Tell Lilly that I'm really sorry."

"Lilly, Miley says that she's really sorry," he said without looking up, only pausing slightly in his eating.

"Tell Miley that she won't have to worry about forgetting me again. I'm not going to walk with her anymore," she said, a little snooty, also not looking up from her food.

Oliver, his voice dull, dutifully passed on the message. "Miley, Lilly says –"

"I heard, Oliver." Miley slumped down in her chair.

The lunchroom bustled with activity. It was the center for all gossip and rumors, and though it was hard to pick out specific conversations, tidbits rained down from all around them. Miley managed to hear at least five tables discussing Jake Ryan's love life. Her name was mentioned several times. Unfortunately, Lilly heard them, too.

"Tell Miley that she could walk to school with Jake Ryan, seeing as they're dating again." Lilly said flippantly, bringing a groan from Oliver.

"Miley, Lilly says –"

"I heard her, Oliver. And, I'm not!" Miley responded hotly talking directly to Lilly.

"He sure thinks you are." Lilly retorted, her temper flaring. She folded her arms defensively across her chest. "I thought we were supposed to be best friends. You said we needed to be honest with each other."

"I am being honest! There's nothing going on!"

And for half a second, Lilly seemed to be relenting. Her face softened and Miley could see that she was starting to accept this as a huge misunderstanding. Their reconciliation was cut short, however, when Jake slid into an open seat near Miley and smiled winningly, wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"So, we still on with our date after school?"

Miley wanted to smack her head on the table. Lilly shot them both disapproving looks before stalking away. Jake didn't seem to notice and only smiled more dashingly.

"Jake, there is no date, okay?"

"Oh," he didn't change his tone or facial expression. It was almost as if he didn't believe her. Actually, knowing him, he didn't. "Well, see you after school. Don't forget your guitar," he winked as he stood and walked off, his crazed fan girls closing on him quickly.

Miley let her head flop onto her arms. "Could this get any worse?"

Oliver glanced around nervously. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

"You're a doughnut."

--


	2. First Attempt

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 2**

First Attempt

_Never pretend to a love which you do not actually feel, for love is not ours to command._ - Alan Watts

--

The last bell of the day rang, causing students to flee from the school as if it were plague-ridden. Miley walked to her house, alone, and dropped her bag off in her room. Grabbing a guitar from the back porch, she set out for the beach. She held the folded piece of paper in her fist, hoping her nervous sweat didn't smear the ink.

The cove Jake had wanted to meet held many memories for her. The small inlet was surrounded by foliage and only accessible from a couple spots. It was perfect for letting Jake down privately. Then, if her courage held, pouring her heart out to Lilly.

Ten minutes passed in relative quiet, with only the sound of her absently strumming the guitar penetrating the cove. Soon Lilly's loud complaints reached her, along with Oliver's anxious excuses. Miley hoped Oliver chose a good hiding spot; Jake wouldn't appreciate anyone spying on what he thought was a private moment. She didn't have long to worry, though – Jake approached, doing his best to look suave.

"Hey, Miley, fancy meeting you here," he grinned, flashing her two thumbs up. "I can't wait to hear the song."

Rolling her eyes, she shook her head apologetically, "Jake, I tried to tell you this at school, but it's not for you."

Jake stopped short, confused. He hadn't expected this. "Not for me? But… but I'm the best looking guy you know." The air seemed to drain from him. He was obviously not used to rejection.

"Maybe," Miley admitted. She could almost feel Oliver's glare through the bushes. "But so what? You haven't changed. At all. We didn't work out before, Jake, and you can't just stride into school and expect me to fall at your feet again without so much as a 'Howdy do.' I'm past that, and I'm well over you." She kept her tone soothing to take the sting out of her words, but saw them hit the mark as his face fell.

He shuffled his feet uncomfortably and blinked slowly, adjusting. "Well. I mean… Wow. Wasn't really expecting that," he smiled sadly, scratching the back of his head, and moving to sit next to her on her rock. She scooted over a little to make room for him. "You know, Miley, I tried. Really hard. I tried to change and be… I don't know, less Jake and more Leslie? You know?" he asked, and she nodded that she understood. "But, recently, this has been me more often than it hasn't, and I'm not exactly around people who let me be me, much less want me to be. I don't really know any other way to be, I guess. It's just… a natural defense," he finished with a sigh, staring at the sand between his feet.

"I'm sorry Les, I know what its like – you know that. But I made sure that I kept myself separate. And I know you were never really given that option." She smiled and nudged his shoulder with her own. "In my oh so humble opinion, which I know you value highly, I think you should let Jake become a little more like Leslie than the other way around. Because I like talking to Les, but, honestly, I really can't stand Jake."

The boy laughed and shook his head. "Honestly, neither can I. You know, we sound like a couple of people with multiple personality disorder." He stood and stretched as she laughed.

Miley smiled and stood with him. "Friends?" she asked holding her hand out.

He took it with a sincere smile. "Of course, Miles. I've gotta go, now. Salvage some pride from somewhere. Probably end up rummaging around in a couple trash cans." He tipped two fingers in her direction in sort of a mock salute. "See ya 'round."

As he left, Miley waved forlornly and sat back down with the guitar. Oliver took that as his cue to drag Lilly out into the open. Lilly's features had softened, but Miley could see that the blonde was still fairly ticked. Miley flashed a small smile at her upset friend but it wasn't returned.

"Oliver, can you leave us alone?" she asked timidly, turning her sad smile to him.

He nodded, glancing between them. "Yeah, of course. If you, you know, need me, I'll be over there," he pointed vaguely. "By the water. Doing guy stuff."

When he left, Miley turned her attention back to Lilly, trying her hardest to stay strong. This was the hardest things she'd ever had to do, and it didn't help that her audience didn't look at all ready to hear her out.

"Lilly, will you listen to me?"

"I guess." Lilly walked over to the large reddish rock that stood slightly off center of the sandy inlet. She sat down on it, crossing her legs.

"Okay. So you heard me with Jake just now?" Miley knew she was stalling, but she couldn't help it. Her courage had fled and her mouth just wouldn't spit it out.

"Yeah, Oliver made me listen." Lilly huffed.

"So there was nothing there to tell you about. If I date someone, you'll always be the first to know, I promise. And I really am sorry about before school. I was thinking about how I was going to tell you…" she trailed off, unintentionally moving to the issue she really wanted to talk about.

"Tell me what?" Lilly's anger had completely dissipated; overshadowed by her incessant need to know.

"Jake, somehow, heard me singing last night." Miley dropped her gaze, unwilling to look Lilly in the eyes. "A love song."

"Okay… So… what? Are you going to ask someone out?" Lilly questioned, not understanding why her friend was fidgeting. "Is it a married man?" she narrowed her eyes in mock contempt.

"No!" she laughed, mentally thanking Lilly for her sense of humor. "No. I want to tell you that… that I…" the brunette took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I like you," Miley smudged her words together, speaking much too quickly to be clearly understood.

Lilly tilted her head. "You what?"

"Like you. I like you."

"Right. Thanks for the reassurance." Lilly smiled, slinging an arm around Miley's shoulders, "I like you, too."

Miley opened her eyes and looked into her best friend's. "No, Lil, I mean I _really_ like you."

"Best friends forever, I know."

"You are so dense," Miley sighed, shaking her head. Looking back at the blonde, Miley bit her lower lip. "It's more than that, Lilly. More than best friends forever. I 'like' like you."

Lilly dropped her arm, shocked. "What?"

To Miley it felt like someone had pushed the gas pedal in her brain. Her mouth rocketed off. "When I look at you I get the same feelings I'm supposed to get when I look at Jake, or Johnny or Josh, or _any_ guys, for that matter. I can't stop thinking about how beautiful you are, and how I just want to touch you so I can inhale your scent. You're nice, funny, sweet, and you've always been there for me. I know that's how best friends are supposed to be, but it stopped just being about friendship for me. I want more…" her voice dropped away at the look on her friend's face.

Lilly stepped away, but, thankfully, didn't run. She looked troubled. "Miley, I'm sorry. I just don't think of you that way…" At Miley's falling face, she waved her hands in slight panic. "Don't get me wrong. I mean, I don't mind that you're gay. Or even that it's me you like. I mean, it's kind of flattering, I guess. And I don't want to ruin our friendship. Because that's all it is to me. Wait, no. That didn't sound right," she paused, stumbling over her words, trying to reassure the heartbroken girl. "That's not all it is. We're best friends, Mile, and I always want to be your best friend, but… but nothing _more_ than that. I'm really sorry."

It was Miley's turn to look troubled. She could feel tears prickling the back of her eyes, but she forced a smile onto her face. "I understand."

"Please don't be mad at me," Lilly dropped to her knees. "I'd do anything for you. You know that. But I can't pretend to like you like that. It wouldn't be fair to me _or_ you."

Miley nodded, putting her hand down to Lilly's level. Lilly grabbed it, standing up again. They stood there a moment, staring at each other, holding hands, until Miley remembered that she had just been turned down and she pulled her hand away, slowly.

The young pop star retreated a few steps. She had to put some space between them. "Lilly, I'm not mad at you," she said at the hurt look on the blonde's face. "I just need some time alone right now, okay? I'll see you tomorrow."

Lilly nodded, forcing a sad smile. It hurt her to hurt Miley, but she didn't think it was right to lead Miley on. She watched as the brunette ran through the sand, guitar gripped in her left hand. Lilly, seeing the instrument, instantly regretted not even listening to Miley's song.

She trod silently down to the water, hoping to find Oliver there as he had promised. True to his word, he was standing ankle-deep in the cold water chucking sea-shells into the surf. He turned as he heard her approach.

"How'd it go?"

"She told me she liked me." Lilly sat down in the dry sand, wrapping her arms around her legs. "_That_ way."

"And you turned her down?" Oliver guessed. Why else would Lilly be alone and depressed right now. If Lilly had accepted, they would be together right now, practically joined at the hip. More so than usual. If that were even possible.

"Of course, Oliver. I'm not going to date her just because she likes me. It wouldn't be fair to her."

Oliver flicked his hands dry before plopping beside her. "You don't need to justify yourself to me."

"But I feel terrible. She looked so crushed," she cried out, waving her hands for effect.

"She'll live. Its okay, Lilly. You're right, it would have been worse on Miley if you tried something and it failed because you didn't want to hurt her feelings." Oliver gave her an encouraging smile. "So don't worry. She'll be back to normal soon. Maybe not tomorrow, or the day after, but soon."

"Thanks, Oliver." She hugged him and got to her feet. "I think I'm gonna head home and crash. I feel drained."

--

While Lilly was walking off the beach, Miley was up in her room, sniffling. She couldn't cry in front of Lilly. She knew that showing how badly she was hurt would, in turn, hurt Lilly, and Miley really didn't want that. The truth was that she did understand Lilly's point of view, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

A half empty box of tissues lay beside her and the trash can beside her bed was littered with the scrunched remains of used tissues. Her pillow was clutched tightly to her chest. The blinds on her window were shut, making her room quite dark. All in all, it was the perfect atmosphere for a moping adolescent.

"Miley, are you in there, darlin'?" Robby Ray knocked softly on the shut door.

"Yes. I'm fine," she called, knowing her voice probably sounded congested and quivery.

"You don't sound fine." He pushed the door open and walked to her bedside. Taking a seat on the edge of the bed, he continued. "I take it your day at school wasn't good."

"School was fine," she responded despondently.

"So, what's the matter, sweet pea?" he asked, rubbing her back with one hand, trying to comfort his distraught daughter.

"I tried to tell… It didn't work…" She spoke very quietly and Robby wasn't sure what she was getting at, but he tried his best.

"Who'd you try to tell? Is this about that song you wrote?"

"Yeah. I didn't even get to sing it. I got turned down before I had the chance," Miley whispered, hiding her face.

"Do you want to tell me who he was?" Robby kept his eyes trained on Miley's face, though that face was hidden by a curtain of hair. It slightly bothered him when she shook her head in the negative. She 

had always been open with him, and he didn't like her having secrets – even when it came to her love interests. She was his baby girl and always would be. So, naturally, he worried about her.

"I just can't tell you. Not right now at least." Miley sniffled. She turned and threw herself into Robby's arms. He rubbed circles on her back and made shushing noises.

"It's alright, bud. Do you want to tell me what happened?"

A stiff shake of her head against his shoulder killed that line of conversation, so Robby contented himself with holding his daughter, letting her cry on his shoulder.

"Hush, kiddo. Whatever happened, just remember that all things work for good. It'll work out," he told her, kissing her forehead.

She cleared her throat with a few small coughs. "Thank you, Daddy," she whispered hoarsely, releasing him from their hug.

"No problem. Can I open those blinds?" At her approval, he got to his feet and wandered to the window. With a quick flick of his wrist, the blinds shuttered open and sunlight poured in. "My advice would be to give it a week, then try dating someone new. Get your mind off him, if he really isn't interested."

Miley moved the tissue box away from her body, releasing the pillow. "I'll try."

"That's my girl. I'm going to go start dinner. Anything special you want?"

"Naw, Daddy." She gave him a sincere smile, and he returned it. It was great to see her smiling again.

After he left the room, Miley leaned forward, cleaning up the soggy tissues that had missed the trashcan. Her mind was wandering aimlessly through the conversation – should she try and find a date? It wasn't like she was married to Lilly because she confessed. And it would help get her mind off the other girl. It would hurt, though, because she had been so sure Lilly would agree. It should be Lilly she was dating.

She moved the trashcan away and got to her feet. Her eyes were tired and still quite moist, but it was bearable. Shaking her head slowly, she went to her backpack and pulled out her homework. Might as well get that done before dinner, she figured; that way she could just fall into bed after eating. Dinner was finished half an hour later, giving her more than enough time to do her math and science.

Jackson hadn't bothered to wait for her to come to dinner to begin eating. His face was already covered with spaghetti sauce. Robby Ray stared at him, hands resting on his waist, awe written on his face. Smiling at the sight, Miley entered and found her seat, dumping noodles onto her plate followed by some meaty tomato sauce.

"Now, son, what are you? I haven't seen anybody suck up so much food in one breath since Uncle Earl won that sausage eating contest." Robby shook his head. This dinner took half an hour to make and was gone in twenty seconds.

Jackson couldn't properly respond due to the fact that he had noodles oozing out of his mouth and sauce drizzling down his chin. So instead he gave a nervous smile, revealing red teeth.

Miley laughed and began eating, albeit slower than Jackson's inhalation. Their dad joined her, still marveling at Jackson's amazing ability to impersonate a vacuum. After all was eaten, Miley helped clear the dishes before hugging her dad good night and heading for bed.

Tomorrow was going to be better, she thought to herself as she curled up in her sheets. Tomorrow she would work on finding a date. She and Lilly would be fine and life would go on.

--

Tomorrow came quickly and Miley slept fairly well considering all the stress she had been feeling. Unfortunately, the day didn't dawn as well as she hoped it would. She woke up with an upset stomach. Writing it off as nothing more than early morning ill-feelings, she headed to the bathroom. She had just started the shower when her stomach rebelled, forcing her to hurl up whatever was left of last night's meal.

Groaning, she leaned against the toilet, closing her eyes. Her mind was swimming and she felt exceedingly dizzy. The water drizzled on in the shower and she weakly reached up to turn it off. Her hand fell short as she returned to dry heaving into the porcelain.

"Mile, you okay in there?" her dad's concerned voice reached her ears as he knocked on the bathroom door.

Miley heaved loudly, thankful she was still fully dressed. Robby Ray twisted the knob and hurried to her side, quickly pulling her hair back for her. She finished her bout of nausea and leaned back, panting. She smiled sheepishly at him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." It was hard to tell if she was being sarcastic; her words were clearly meant that way, but her voice was weak and unemotional.

"Back to bed with you, bud. I'll call the school to excuse you. We need to get you better. Hannah's got a concert on Friday." Robby Ray helped her back to her bed. He tucked her in and brought her a bucket for safety. If she couldn't make it to the bathroom, at least he wouldn't have to clean it up off the floor.

Miley let her head hit the pillow again. She was partly grateful that she didn't have to face Lilly yet, but mostly, she just wanted to see her friend. Her day was filled with naps, ginger ale, and soup. With any luck she had only caught a twenty-four hour virus. She couldn't really take being sick any longer than that.

--

At school Lilly waited by Miley's locker. She had waited outside Miley's house before, in an attempt to walk to school with her friend, but Miley hadn't shown up. She just figured Miley had ditched her again, but this time she didn't mind. If Miley wanted a little space after yesterday, Lilly completely understood.

She glanced at one of the various clocks in the hallway and grimaced. She realized that Miley had probably already gotten to class. So it came as a surprise to reach first period and find that Miley wasn't there either. In fact, she saw neither hide nor hair of her best friend all day.

During lunch she got lost in thought, wondering if this was Miley trying to avoid her. But that didn't make sense. The Miley she knew wouldn't put off seeing her because of something so silly. After all, hadn't they both agreed to let it go? Forget it happened?

Oliver waved a hand in front of her face. "Earth to Lilly!"

She glanced at him mildly before responding. "Oliver? What are you doing here?"

"Um, it's lunch. We always eat together, remember?" He quirked his eyebrows up. Lilly was acting so strangely.

"Oh. It's lunch?" Lilly laughed dryly. "That would explain the lunchroom and the food."

Oliver fixed her with a worried stare, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah… No. I'm just a little worried about Miley. It's not like her to miss school."

"She's probably avoiding you," Oliver remarked carelessly, his eyes instantly widening. He'd been thinking it, but his brain-to-mouth filter had shut off. He flung his hands over his flapping lips.

Lilly looked crushed. "I thought that, too."

"Or she might be sick."

"That's too coincidental," she replied, waving off the plausible excuse. "We both know her dad would let her stay home if she really begged. Especially if she told him what happened yesterday!" Lilly sunk down in her seat, cheeks flushing brightly.

Oliver shrugged. "Either way, why don't you try bringing her the homework for today? Show that you're willing to keep up the friendship, you know?"

She tousled his hair with a happy grin. "That's right. I'll do that. She can't hide from me forever."

"Don't touch the hair!" He complained, staving off her hands with wild gestures, "It needs to be perfect! Who knows when Mrs. Smokin' Oken is going to walk through those doors? In fact, she could be the next person to walk into the lunch room."

They both turned expectantly and watched Jackson walk into the room.

"And maybe not." Oliver ducked his head, scrunching up his neck.

Lilly watched him carefully. He saw her staring and waved nervously before meeting his friends. He didn't act any differently towards her, which meant he didn't know that Miley liked her, which meant that something else must be going on. Right? She squirreled up her face, confused.

"Earth to Lilly?" Oliver tried again. This time all he got for his efforts was a punch to his shoulder. "Ow! Hey, when did you learn that violence was the answer?"

"Shortly after I met you. Now eat your lunch, Oliver."

He wisely obeyed. Lilly went back to picking at her meal and thinking. She decided that she would bring Miley the homework she missed, and then check up on her friend that way. School couldn't pass quickly enough for her; her eyes were constantly seeking out the clock. When the bell finally rang, she was out of her seat like a shot. She barely had time to wave bye to Oliver before jumping on her skateboard and riding down the street, dodging bodies and jumping obstacles.

--

Inside the Stewart house, Miley had managed to stumble her way down to the fridge. She was still in her pajamas and her hair was a wreck, but she was feeling better. Robby Ray had gone out to the store and Jackson wouldn't be home for a while. She dug through the fridge, trying to weasel out a 

fresh can of ginger ale. The phone rang and she gave up on her task, instead answering the annoying ring.

"Lilly landing in ten!" Lilly hollered over the phone.

Miley ended the call and stared at the phone for a moment before looking over to the door, all the way on the other side of the house. With a tired sigh, she moved as quickly as her weak body would let her. Just before she reached the door, there was a loud thud and an audible 'oof.' Opening the door, Miley laughed at her prone and indignant friend before reaching a hand out to help her up. But, due to her illness, she found her weak legs give out and instead of pulling the blonde up, she collapsed on top of the other girl.

They stared into each other's eyes silently for a good ten seconds. In those seconds, Miley felt her heart start to race. Lilly was surprised to find that her heart was also speeding up, but she couldn't drag her eyes away from Miley's. It was almost intoxicating to be this close to her friend, to feel Miley's body above hers. Shaking her head, Lilly pushed Miley back up and jumped to her feet.

What in the world was happening to her? Miley was shaking her head and muttering to herself as she walked into the house, Lilly following close behind. She slowed her breathing, trying to get a hold of herself. This just had to be a response to the guilt she was feeling over turning Miley down. It just had to be.

"I brought you your homework." Glad for an excuse to look away, Lilly dug in her backpack, pulling a small stack of papers out. "Are you feeling better? I hope you slept a lot today. And drank fluids. My mom always said that fluids were good for sick people. And chicken noodle soup! Did you have some of that? I'm sure your dad took good care of you. Who am I to question what he feeds you? Is it warm in here?" she rambled.

Miley held in her laughter, but just barely. Lilly stood there fanning herself with Miley's homework.

"I'm a little better now. I wasn't pretty this morning and I'm probably not pretty now, but tomorrow should be better. Thanks for the homework." Miley reached for the papers and managed to rescue them from Lilly's death grip.

"No! You're really cute." Lilly commented before she could stop herself. She felt a little self-conscious complimenting Miley now. It was one of those things that she used to do tons in the past and think nothing of but it worried her now. What if Miley took it the wrong way?

"Thanks, Lil. Did I miss anything?" Miley moved past the compliment as she sat on the couch, knowing that Lilly didn't mean anything by it.

"Not really. It was the same old boring stuff," Lilly smiled as she flopped onto the couch next to her best friend.

Miley smiled, and there were a few beats of silence as she tried to think of something to say. "Umm… Hannah's concert is this Friday. Are you coming with?"

Lilly pumped her fist in the air, "Of course! Why wouldn't I?"

Miley chose not to answer that. She didn't know if Lilly would feel too weird around her. It was great that Lilly wasn't. But, then again, sleeping over might be pushing it. She hoped that Lilly didn't think so.

"You could sleep over Friday night, if you wanted," Miley suggested timidly.

"Is there a party after the concert?" Lilly smirked, going through her mental closet.

"Of course."

"Ok, so I'll sleep over after that. I am going to the party, right?" Lilly sometimes wondered if Miley was okay with her going to the after parties with her. She knew she could be a klutz, a dork, and many other things that probably didn't sit well with the celebrity crowd.

"Yeah…" Miley hesitated. Normally she'd reach over and hold Lilly's arm, or give Lilly a hug, but now she didn't know how to act. She hated feeling like she couldn't touch her best friend.

Lilly, oblivious, got up, stretching, "Are you still on house lock down? Can you hit the beach with me?"

"How about tomorrow? I'm about to crash again," she said apologetically.

Lilly smiled sympathetically. "Tomorrow then! It's a date!"

Miley's eyes flicked up to the blonde's, and Lilly instantly regretted her choice of words. "I mean… not a date, you know… but… Ugh! I'm sorry! I'm not trying to…"

Miley stood and shook her head softly. "Don't' worry, Lil. I understand. I'll see you tomorrow," she smiled.

"Right, tomorrow," she responded, turning and bounding to the door. "Until then," she cried, swinging the door open dramatically. Miley laughed as Lilly bowed and walked out. The sound of a skateboard on concrete faded quickly as the blonde retreated from the house.

With a sigh, Miley looked at the stairs, then back at the couch she stood beside. Making up her mind, she flopped onto the couch and flipped on the television, quickly falling asleep to a TV movie on Lifetime.

--


	3. Trying To Move On

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 3**

Trying to Move On

_What is defeat? Nothing but education; nothing but the first step to something better. - _Wendell Phillips

--

Miley returned to school the next day, her illness completely gone. It was a relief to her – being sick had to be her least favorite thing in the world. Perhaps second to Jackson singing in the shower.

Oliver was glad to see her, especially seeing her close with Lilly. School was perfectly ordinary. Classes were boring, Amber and Ashley were bullies, and lunch was loud – not that Miley was expecting anything different. Her dad's advice was hanging over her head and she did try to glance at a few girls during the day. But, really, asking out a random girl in high school was a sure fire way to go from ignored outcast to moving target.

The day passed agonizingly slow for the brunette, but when the final bell of the day rang, she and Lilly almost sprinted for their houses. "I'll go down to Rico's and grab us some nachos," Lilly yelled as they parted.

"Save me some, got it?" Miley yelled back with a laugh. Knowing Lilly, those snacks would be gone before Miley even set one foot in the sand.

Miley ran through her front door, dropped her bag, and headed upstairs to clean up. Without really thinking about what she was doing, Miley chose a set of clothing that she hoped Lilly would like. It wasn't a conscious decision so much as a deeply rooted wish for Lilly's attention.

She barely glanced at herself in the mirror before heading out onto the beach. Her hair had been cleaned and tamed, now resting against her back, the ends barely curling at the tips. Her jeans had been switched out for a pair of light blue boy shorts that hugged her hips tightly and her polo shirt had been swapped for two t-shirts – one half-sleeved white shirt underneath and a baby blue short-sleeved tee over it. Her feet were adorned by a pair of simple black flip-flops.

Miley laughed as she reached Rico's and saw the nachos, as expected, had disappeared. Lilly jokingly tried to make some excuse about attacking seagulls and not wanting to ruin her hair. She claimed that it was just easier to give them the nachos. Miley rolled her eyes with a grin and didn't press it; instead she just got another set of nachos and tugged Lilly along towards the water.

Lilly had changed into a bikini top and a pair of boy's swim trunks, though Miley could see the bottom of the bikini riding above the waistline. She really wanted to catch a few waves while the weather was so nice and she hoped Miley wouldn't mind sunning alone for a while.

"Mile, is it okay if I surf? I've been dying to hit the water," Lilly asked, hitting Miley with irresistible doe eyes as she jutted out her lower lip slightly.

Miley couldn't defy the power of the doe eyes, even if she had wanted to. "Go ahead. I'll be here when you get back," she laughed, waving her friend off.

Lilly instantly broke into a wild grin, hugging Miley tightly before running to fetch her board. She panicked a moment as she ran away, wondering what Miley thought of her hug. Things were getting so complicated, she commented mentally. Life was so much easier when she didn't have to think about what messages she was sending to her best friend.

As Lilly dove into the surf, Miley spread a towel out on the sand and set her sunning station up. She drizzled sunscreen into her hand and proceeded to wipe the white substance over her bare skin, making sure to cover all the surface area. Getting a sun burn was not on her To-Do list. Satisfied with her protection, she leaned back on her elbows, one hand propped against her forehead to block out some of the bright sun, and watched Lilly cut through the waves.

A shadow covered her and Miley looked up to see a tall guy standing in front of her, smiling and shifting his feet nervously. "Hey. I couldn't help but notice that you're all alone over here."

She blinked, her attention moving from Lilly to the unknown teen in front of her. He was fairly cute, she supposed. Wiry, but not too thin, tan, with a gorgeous smile. His golden hair was curly and trimmed close to his head. She returned the smile, trying to decide if A) he was hitting on her, and B) if she should let him.

"Yeah, my friend is just out surfing," she responded, keeping her eyes trained on his face.

"Mind if I keep you company?" He questioned, taking a seat in the sand beside her. "I'm Jeremy, by the way," he introduced himself, sticking a hand into the hair.

"Miley," she answered, shaking his outstretched hand, and confirming that he was, indeed, interested in her.

"So, Miley, that's an interesting name."

She laughed; that was the first thing most people said after hearing it. "Yeah, I guess."

"I take it you get that a lot?"

She nodded quietly, letting her eyes return to Lilly's escapades. A silence developed between them as Miley's attention flitted away. Dissatisfied with Miley's distraction, Jeremy tried again to make small talk.

"Who's your friend?"

"The blonde girl," Miley pointed to Lilly a moment before the other girl took a dive into the water.

"So not your boyfriend," he asked carefully, seeing if she was taken.

"Nope. No boyfriend, actually," she responded absently, her gaze still fixed on the blonde, who had begun paddling out on her board.

"I was hoping you were free," he smiled. When she didn't reply, his smile drooped slightly and he cleared his throat. "Ummm… are you doing anything tomorrow after school?"

"No, I guess not," she sighed. She thought, reluctantly, that trying a new relationship might ease things between her and Lilly. It might help her ignore her feelings for her peppy and pretty friend. Fighting to seem interested, she favored him with an awkward smile.

"Would you want to go to the mall, or something?" Miley could tell that he was stretching for something.

"Ummm… not to be a jerk or anything, but I'm not really interested right now," she smiled sheepishly. She realized that it was slightly rude of her not to have told him that from the outset, but she didn't exactly feel comfortable saying 'Back off, I'm gay.' That was a bit of a stretch for her.

"Oh," he blinked, a little stunned. It was obvious he wasn't expecting that at all. "Well, I'll see you around then, I guess?" he stumbled a little as he stood up.

She smiled apologetically as he left. Unknown to Miley, Lilly had been eyeing them carefully between waves and had felt an unfamiliar curiosity burn through her as Jeremy attempted to pick her friend up. Was Miley even still into guys? Was Lilly the only girl she was attracted to? Did it even work that way?

Her inattentiveness cost her as a wave crashed over her head, sending her on a little trip underwater. She swam to the surface, snuffling as water coated the insides of her nose. There was nothing quite as annoying as getting salt water in the nose. It burned unpleasantly and left a bitter taste in her mouth.

That wipe-out signified the end of her surfing for the day so Lilly grabbed her board, which had stayed attached to the leash around her ankle and swam to shore, where she stumbled into the wet sand. A quick glance towards her feet revealed a small pink shell glinting in the sunlight, half-buried beneath the thick sand. Picking it up, Lilly brushed as much sand off of it as she could manage with her finger before smiling and tucking it into one of her pockets.

When she returned to Miley's side, Jeremy had long gone and Miley was waiting for her with a concerned smile. "You okay?"

Lilly smiled reassuringly. "Yeah. Nothing the mighty Lilly couldn't handle!" She grinned, flexing comically.

Miley laughed at her friend's antics. "How were the waves?"

"Great." Lilly jammed the surfboard into the sand and fell onto the edge of Miley's towel, leaning back on the other girl's shins. She hoped Miley wouldn't mind getting water all over her legs.

"You were looking good out there," Miley commented, dusting sand off her hands.

After debating with herself a moment, Lilly asked the question that had been bothering her. "Who was the guy?"

"Oh, I think he said his name was Jeremy," Miley shrugged. "He wanted to go to the mall with me tomorrow."

"Well? Are you going?"

"No."

Lilly narrowed her eyebrows thoughtfully. "Why not?"

"I wasn't interested."

"Oh," Lilly paused for a minute, trying to work up a little courage. "Do you even like guys at all anymore?" she asked quickly, slightly embarrassed. She could feel Miley tense up behind her, and instantly regretted the question. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have –"

"No, no. It's okay. I'm kind of surprised it took you _this_ long to ask me," she laughed lightly, relaxing a little. "Its not that I'm not into guys _anymore_, it's more that I was never really into them, and I couldn't figure out why."

Lilly turned to look her friend in the eye, and saw a little fear there. "Aren't you scared of what everyone will think?" she asked, concerned.

Miley looked away and nodded. "I'm terrified. What happens if Jackson or my dad are just disgusted by me? Telling you and Oliver… I don't think I've ever been more scared of being rejected in my life," she admitted, brushing away a small tear that had escaped.

"Um, I'm not trying to be insensitive, but I did reject you," Lilly replied, smirking a little to try and soften the blow.

Miley laughed and shook her head, but that didn't stop the tears. "Not that. I was always kind of expecting you to turn me down, I guess. What I mean is, reject me as a friend. I just… I couldn't take it if you and Ollie had walked away from me, you know?"

Lilly left her spot at Miley's feet and wrapped her friend in a tight hug. "That's something that you never have to worry about, Mile. Me and Ollie will always be there for you."

She could feel the brunette nod into her shoulder, and Miley only held on tighter as she continued to cry, her pent up fears and anxieties spilling out at Lilly's reassurance.

Lilly yawned quietly, breaking the moment and causing Miley to giggle. The blonde pulled away and smiled as Miley wiped her eyes. "If you need to talk, just talk. I'll always listen, okay?"

Miley nodded and smiled, leaning back on the towel, more visibly relaxed than she had been in days.

"Good," Lilly clapped. "Now that that's settled, do you mind if I take a nap?"

This brought another laugh from the brunette. "Don't forget to sunscreen. I know you hate getting burned." Miley offered the bottle of sunscreen. Lilly accepted it and rubbed herself down. As Lilly protected herself, Miley scooted over on the towel to give Lilly room to lie down.

The remainder of the day passed much too quickly for both of them. As the sun set, Miley gathered up her towel and bid Lilly farewell. Lilly waved goodbye, but her mind was elsewhere. She couldn't stop wondering about how things between her and Miley were changing. Just two days ago, Miley was her best friend and Lilly was happy. But now there was something between them that Lilly didn't understand. And, though she was a little ashamed to admit it, she was afraid to understand.

--

The next day at school was much a repeat of the previous one. Miley was hanging at her locker before the last period of the day, thinking that maybe she should have just agreed to see Jeremy, or even Jake. Then maybe Lilly wouldn't feel so weird around her. Then, maybe there wouldn't be so many questions.

"Miley, are you okay?" Lilly tapped her shoulder.

Miley realized she probably looked weird, leaning on her locker and staring at nothing with distant eyes. She managed a grin for Lilly but it felt more like a grimace.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking."

Lilly watched Miley a moment, suspicious. Miley tried a bigger smile, to no avail, and pushed off her locker, heading for their last class. Lilly let it go, for the moment. She figured that she'd get her answers after school. Catching up with Miley, she slid her arm around the other girl's.

"Want to hang out after school?"

"Like always?" the teen pop star smiled. At least Lilly was trying to act normal. Maybe things wouldn't be so weird after all.

"Like always. We could get Oliver to hang, too, if you want." Lilly offered. She personally didn't mind either way. Oliver wouldn't be dead weight, but he wasn't necessary.

"No. You can help me pick out my outfit for tomorrow. Oliver is useless at that," Miley grinned, biting back a burst of giggles.

Lilly joined her in restrained laughter. "You'd probably end up going in a fashion disaster. Note to Miley, never let Oliver near your closet."

"Dually noted," the taller girl grinned, making a check mark in the air with her free hand.

Later, in said closet, Miley was digging through her various racks of clothing, unsure of what she wanted to wear. Lilly, meanwhile, was perched in a chair flipping through a fashion magazine.

"So you're totally going to let me wear a pair of Italian boots, right?"

Miley picked up a long blouse, holding it to her body, "Depends. How does this look?"

Lilly glanced over. "Put it in the possible pile."

Miley threw it into a small pile of clothing outside the closet before returning to her hunt. "And sure, as long as I'm not wearing them first."

"Can I use the knee-high ones? They'll go great with my black skirt." Lilly set the magazine aside in favor of sorting the possible pile. She threw aside a few of the tops, deigning that they were not fit for an after-party.

"Sure. That just means we'll have to match my outfit to a different pair of shoes," Miley gestured to her wall of footwear. "Which shouldn't be that hard."

"I think you should wear this," Lilly held up a soft blue blouse. It had no shoulders; instead it had thick bands that would wrap around Miley's upper arms.

Miley was hesitant. That shirt had Lilly's attention and would look great on her, but it was a sure-fire way to get the attention of every male in the room. But in the end she nodded her consent and went to choose a pair of nice hip-hugger jeans to match and a pair of comfortable shoes.

Lilly looked at her expectantly. "Well, put it on! I want to see how you look. If it works, you can wear it."

Miley rolled her eyes, "As you wish, your Highness."

Lilly went back to lounging in her chair. She picked the magazine back up while Miley quickly ducked into the closet to shed her clothing and don the new apparel. Stepping out, Miley spun in a circle, showing off to her one-person audience.

"Lovely, daaaahling," Lilly adopted a snooty accent, drawing out her vowels. "Simply maaaaaaaahvelous."

Lilly's cell phone went off as Miley changed back to her usual attire. While Lilly talked with her mom, Miley hung the outfit up and placed it in the corner, setting the shoes underneath.

"What's up?" Miley wandered back, standing a few feet away from Lilly, who quite frankly didn't look pleased.

"I have to go home. I kind of forgot that today was supposed to be 'family fun time,'" Lilly shuddered, making quotes in the air. "So not fun."

Miley held back her smile. Lilly was so cute when she was riled and indignant.

"Don't forget to grab the shoes on your way out."

"Thanks again, Miles!" Lilly snatched the shoes and her bag before making a mad break out of the closet. Miley chuckled softly as her best friend made such a speedy exit. She gazed at the outfit once more before turning the lights off and leaving, too.

--


	4. Caught In The Act

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 4**

Caught in the Act

_All human actions have one or more of these seven causes: chance, nature, compulsion, habit, reason, passion, and desire._ - Aristotle

--

The concert came and went, as did several weeks of school. The weather was starting to turn cold as Halloween neared, and things were almost back to normal between Lilly and Miley. Miley supposed they would never really be normal again, but at least Lilly was trying.

Miley, for her part, was trying to move on, past her crush on Lilly. She had taken Oliver trolling for girls at the mall – with the implicit instruction that he was not to tell Lilly about it. Things had been smooth with the blonde, but Miley didn't want things turning for the worse. She was even attempting, with Oliver's prodding, to ask out a girl that worked at Hollister's. Oliver had seen her get out of her car, and had pointed out the rainbow sticker on it – the only way Miley knew to be sure she wasn't barking up the wrong tree. He had asked when she was going to get one, for which he received a prompt punch in the shoulder.

Miley was standing outside the store, taking deep breaths to calm her nerves. When her heart was beating at a near normal pace, she walked into the store, saw the girl, blushed and ran out. "I can't do it Oliver," she cried, walking to the bench he had parked himself on and set herself next to him. "I can't." She flopped her forehead on his shoulder.

Oliver sighed and shook his head as he watched a couple cute girls walk by, wearing little in the warmer weather of southern California, even this late in the year. "I don't know what to tell you Miles. This is step one to getting over Lilly. Just channel a little of that Hannah confidence, buckle your chin strap and get in the game."

"You know," she said dryly, lifting her head, "that would have been almost inspirational if you hadn't been staring at that girl's ass the whole time." Never mind the fact that she was mimicking his actions. The girl really did have a nice ass.

Oliver shrugged, only turning to face Miley when the object of their attentions turned into a store. "You said you wanted to go mall watching, so you can't blame me for watching."

She laughed and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "You're incorrigible, you know that, right?"

He beamed in response before his attention was dragged away again. "Chin strap. Game. Now," he said, pointing to the store.

With a sigh of defeat, she climbed to her feet and made towards the store.

Upon entering, she noticed two things – the girl had disappeared, and, at some point while she had been receiving her pep talk from Oliver, Ashley and Amber had arrived.

Groaning, she skirted around the edge of the store, hoping the object of her 'game' was still somewhere in the store and that she would somehow be able to avoid the nightmare duo. Considering it had taken a couple of hours for Miley to get her nerve up, it was very possible that the girl was on a break. When Miley had all but given up hope, and was about to trudge back to Oliver in defeat, there was a voice from behind her.

"Can I help you?"

Miley spun around and immediately turned redder than a tomato. "Oh. Um…" she stumbled, searching for inspiration. "Yes! Yes. I… um… need a… present! For… a friend… yeah. That's it," she finished lamely.

The other girl smiled strangely and nodded. "Okay. Any idea what your friend would like?"

Miley blinked, staring into the slightly shorter girl's light green eyes. Her black hair was pulled into a pony tail, and Miley thought that the dusting of freckles across her nose and cheeks just added to the entirely cute package. Miley didn't realize she was staring until a hand waved in front of her face, interrupting her view.

"I'm sorry?"

The girl – Katie, her nametag said – smiled in response. "I asked what your friend would like."

"Oh, um… a… shirt?"

Katie couldn't hold it back any more and giggled, causing Miley to blush even harder. "Are you asking me?"

Miley was entirely confused by this point, because she was holding a conversation she was mentally incapable of concentrating on. As she opened her mouth to just get it over with and ask her out, a bucket of cold water was thrown in her face.

"Oh, look. Its Stinky Stewart."

Miley closed her eyes in horror and embarrassment as Ashley's voice came from over her shoulder.

"I thought something smelled like a backed up sewer," Amber piped in, causing Miley's cheeks to burn even more.

"Excuse me."

Miley whipped around, because Katie's voice was suddenly coming from behind her, near Ashley and Amber's.

"Yes?" Amber replied, looking down at the object of Miley's affection like she was a fly in her soup.

The short girl's voice was cold as steel. "If you insist on insulting our other customers and causing a scene, I'm going to have to ask you to leave."

Miley's heart exploded in joy at the looks on her two classmates' faces. They wore identical expressions of outrage and shock.

They started spluttering, "I… How dare –"

"Now." She pointed to the door, chin raised in defiance. The two girls shot Miley a nasty glare before making for the door, telling everyone who would listen that they didn't want to shop in an establishment that let in trash like that anyway.

Katie turned back to her, concerned. "Are you okay?" she asked stepping back to Miley.

"Yeah… Yes, thanks. I'm sorry, I…"

"Hey, it's alright. I hate people like that," she spat, glaring at the door the two girls had exited from.

Miley, hoping that the girl's defense of her meant the attraction was mutual, took a deep breath and jumped in head first. "Do you want to go to a movie with me?"

Katie whipped back to Miley, her eyes wide in surprise. "You mean like a date?"

Miley refused to look at the other girl as she nodded, knowing that her face was seconds from spontaneously bursting into flame.

"Sure."

Miley looked up, and the wide smile on the other girl's face was instantly matched by her own. "Really?"

Katie laughed again and nodded in return. "Really," she assured as she reached into her back pocket, pulling her cell phone out. "Just give me your number and I'll call you when I get out of here. Sound good?"

Miley's smile when she returned to Oliver was so fixed that even the sight of Jake Ryan sitting next to him on the bench couldn't dampen it. "Hey Ollie. Hey Jake."

They returned her greeting with identical waves, but didn't look at her. They were leaning backwards over the edge of the bench, staring down the walkway of the mall. She followed their gazes and laughed at what had their attention. A man, who had to be at least seven feet tall, was walking down the mall holding hands with a woman that couldn't have been more than five foot. It was fascinating and disturbing all at once.

Just as she was about to comment, her cell phone rang. Pulling it out, she looked at the number in confusion before flipping it open. "Hello?" she asked tentatively.

Her smile instantly returned as the voice on the other end rang out. _"Hey Miley, it's Katie. I'm just making sure you gave me your real number, I'll call you later!"_

Miley's smile grew as they ended the phone conversation and Miley hurried to put the new number under Katie's name.

"So, how was the game?" Oliver asked as she was typing in the girl's name.

Miley blushed. "It was great. We're going to a movie later."

"I'm confused."

Both of them turned to Jake and laughed at his face. He looked like someone kicked his puppy and he couldn't figure out why.

"Um… well…" Miley started, not really sure how to explain it. "Jake, part of the reason I turned you down was because I'm… well…"

Jake stared at her for a moment, his confusion deepening, before his face brightened and he laughed. "Oh, I know, Oliver already explained that. That's not what I'm talking about, though."

Miley turned and glared at Oliver, who had suddenly become very interested in the plant to his right. "Oliver told you, huh?"

"Yeah, but that's not important."

She turned back to Jake, utterly confused at this point. "Okay. What is then?"

"How do you think they have sex?"

Oliver broke out laughing, and Miley knew she had to look like a lost kitten, because Jake started laughing too. "The… the… giant and the midget," he explained, waving his hands in the direction they had gone. "Because, really, she'd always have to be on top, you know?"

Miley shook her head and took the remaining space on the bench between the boys. "I don't know which one of you is worse," she sighed, leaning back.

As a cute girl walked by, catching all three of the teenagers' attention, Jake nudged her. "So, me being the best looking guy you know wasn't even a drop in the bucket, huh?"

"Not really," Miley replied, turning to look at him, "but, if it makes you feel better, you might make a pretty good looking girl."

He laughed, and the three spent another hour on the bench before parting ways.

--

Katie had called that night and Miley officially had her first girlfriend. They only saw each other a couple times a week, but they spoke on the phone constantly. Katie was a year older than her and went to Malibu High School. She had been 'out' for only a few months, but her family didn't know.

Their first kiss came on their second date, and, if Miley hadn't been sure before, that moment silenced any questions about her sexuality. Kiss was more like kisses, stolen in the darkness of a sparsely populated movie theater, but the feelings they invoked were more than any she had ever felt with Jake, or anyone for that matter.

A few weeks passed, taking with it Halloween and the last of the truly warm weather. Thanksgiving approached, bringing with it the even bigger event of Miley's 16th birthday.

Lilly was walking through the mall, trying to find something for Miley. With a sigh, she walked into Hollister's, knowing that Miley liked the store, having seen several bags of their clothes in her bedroom recently. Browsing around, she was shocked when she heard a familiar voice behind her. Startled, she ducked behind a rack of shirts and hid, not wanting Miley to see her shopping for her.

From between the shirts, she watched her best friend approach a short, raven-haired girl who worked there. Before Lilly could tell herself she was being silly and prepared to stand up, she saw Miley give the girl a quick kiss before winking and leaving the store, with a shout of "Call me," drifting back.

That night, sleep didn't come easily for Lilly. She tossed and turned for hours. Miley was haunting the back of her eyelids; every time Lilly shut her eyes, there was Miley kissing the other girl. And a few times, she could have sworn it was her kissing Miley.

When her alarm clock went off at six forty-five the next morning, she felt as though she hadn't slept a wink. She was happy to be doing something other than rolling around her bed, though. She breezed through the shower, not able to concentrate on what she was doing. Halfway through her second shampooing she realized she was just going in circles. She rinsed and hopped out.

Breakfast was no better. She added cereal to a bowl, then milk. And then more cereal, and then more milk. The placemat was flooded before she stopped and thought about what she was doing. After cleaning her little mess up she had time to grab a banana and her backpack before running down the street towards school. It didn't occur to her to wait for Miley.

During school, she avoided making eye contact with Miley as much as possible. She couldn't see Miley without thinking about what she had seen. It would just make her feel even lower than she thought possible, because she wasn't supposed to be bothered by it. For Lilly it felt like the day was oozing by as quickly as peanut butter on a brick wall. It just couldn't get any slower.

"Lilly, are you okay?" Oliver nudged her shoulder during a passing period. He was concerned for her. He'd never seen her so down before. Usually when something was wrong with Lilly, it was punctuated by Lilly getting angry and huffy. It was hard to remember a time when Lilly was just down.

"I guess." She crossed her arms across her body, not willing to make eye contact with Oliver either.

"What happened?" He questioned. When he asked Miley earlier, all he got was a clueless shrug.

"I was at the mall yesterday," Lilly stated, as if that was the problem.

"Don't you go to the mall a lot?"

"I saw Miley kissing someone," she continued slowly.

Oliver's eyes darted away. "Oh."

"Yeah," Lilly confirmed. She turned angry eyes on him suddenly. "You knew," she accused, poking him in the chest.

"Ow," he whined, stepping away from her dangerous finger. "Yeah, I knew, but Miley made me promise not to tell you. You're already weird enough around her as it is."

"I am not!" Lilly whispered harshly. She didn't want others to overhear.

"You may not see it, but Miley and I both do. You're acting like…" Oliver fixed her with a mischievous smirk. "Are you sure you don't like her?"

"What? Of course not. I mean… I don't know," she whined. "I think I… I think I might," she admitted after a moment.

"So this is easy to fix. Tell her the truth, apologize, kiss and make up, whatever it is girls do. Don't make me get the handcuffs. I even have the key this time," he patted his pocket and his face fell. "Well, I had the key."

That cheered her up slightly and she gave him a weak grin. "Thanks for the support, Ollie, but it's not that easy."

He nodded. "Of course it is! Just talk to her after school."

She squared her shoulders. "Right. Just walk right up to her and say Miley-"

"What?" Miley approached, face tilted curiously.

Lilly completely deflated. "I need to talk to you."

Oliver wrapped his arms around the shoulders of his friends and started walking them towards the last class of the day. Lilly glared at him, as if he was ruining the moment on purpose.

"As much as I know you two need to talk, I don't want to be late."

Lilly spent the entire period with her eyes glued to the clock. Every minute that passed was one minute closer to fixing things with Miley. She could vaguely hear the teacher droning on, but mostly all she heard was the thumping of her heart. It was so loud to her that it filled her ears. The clock seemed to tick in time with every few thuds of her heart.

The bell rang and Lilly jumped from her chair. She wiped her palms along her shorts, trying to get the clammy sweat off them with little success. Breathing hard, she sought Miley out.

"Can we talk now?" Lilly gripped Miley's arm, ignoring that she now could feel tingles wherever her flesh touched Miley's.

"Why don't we talk at my house? I have to get ready for the concert tonight."

Lilly blinked in surprise, but tilted her head in acceptance. She had forgotten Miley had another concert tonight, with everything else that had been running through her mind. The walk to Miley's house was tense and quiet. Oliver had decided to give them some alone time, for which Lilly was grateful. When they reached the Stewart residence they found Jackson crashed on the couch, eyes fixed on the television. Without speaking, they headed upstairs to Miley's room, shutting the door behind them.

"What's up, Lil? You've been acting so distant today." Miley sat down at her desk, swiveling slightly on the roller chair.

"What? There's nothing wrong..." Miley folded her arms and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Okay, okay! So there's something wrong. Yesterday I was at the mall, and… well… I saw you kissing another girl."

Miley's face dropped. Her shoulders slumped and her hands quivered. "That's what this is all about?" she asked, sounding a little angry. "You saw me kissing Katie?"

"Yeah…" Lilly trailed off, hating herself for putting Miley through this. "I don't know what's wrong with me. It shouldn't bother me, I know that."

"Ya think?" Miley's voice raised in volume ever so slightly. She was trying to avoid yelling. "You told me you were okay! That we were okay!"

"I thought I was! But it's one thing to talk about it, and another to see you… I'm just… We're supposed to be honest with each other, and you didn't even tell me you had a girlfriend," Lilly argued, a little exasperated.

"Because I didn't want you to go all weird on me again." Miley shook her head, trying her best to remain calm. _"_I can't hug you or push you or look at you without you flinching, and you were just starting to be comfortable around me again."

"I don't flinch," Lilly murmured, eyes downcast. She wished Miley understood.

"Yes, you do! I see it every day!"

"I can't help it!" Lilly yelled, rising from the bed and pacing around the room. "It's great that you're getting comfortable about yourself and all that. And you're the same person as always, I get that. But you drop this bomb on me two months ago, and then we talk about it for fifteen minutes on the beach, and then nothing. No mention, no twitch, and now I'm all confused because…"

Miley stared at her pacing friend. "Because…" she led after a prolonged silence.

"Because... because… because I don't know how I feel anymore," she sighed, flopping back onto Miley's bed.

That shook Miley a little. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing… Can we drop it for now? I promise to talk to you when I'm ready… but I'm not right now. I don't hate you, and I'm trying, but I still need to figure my own head out." Lilly begged.

Miley considered the plea and nodded reluctantly. "I just feel like I'm losing you, Lil."

"I'm sorry. I… You know what, onto more pleasant topics, please!" Lilly smiled, trying to force away the tense atmosphere that had built up through their argument. Anything to get away from that subject. At least, she thought with a tiny smile, Miley didn't hate her. "We should start getting ready for your concert. What Lola should I go as? I'm really liking the white wig."

"Lola LaRhonda it is." Miley agreed, "And that wig will go great with the black skirt and boots you borrowed that you seem to think I've forgotten about."

Lilly grinned sheepishly, but enthusiastically agreed, glad Miley had let her off so easily. "I'm going to look so great tonight. I'm practically a celebrity, you know."

Miley fixed her with a 'best-friend-say-what?' stare. "And I am?"

"Practically the best friend of practically a celebrity," Lilly joked.

Miley smiled at her slightly goofy best friend. She knew something was changing between them, but she couldn't help wondering whether it was for better or worse. All she knew was that losing Lilly would be the equivalent of having each of her toenails ripped off one by one.

--


	5. Near Miss

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 5**

Near Miss

_The truth is rarely pure and never simple._ - Oscar Wilde

--

They messed around in the closet for a few hours before Robby Ray called up that the limo was waiting. Miley wished it wasn't – she hadn't had fun with Lilly like that in weeks. It was comforting to know that their friendship was still intact, even if it was a little strained at the moment.

Robby was also glad that the girls had seemed to work things out. He didn't know what had been going on with them, but he was pleasantly surprised to find out that Lilly was coming with. He could only smile at them as they thundered down the stairs and into the waiting limousine.

"Hannah, you almost forgot your purse," Lola shook the small white purse in front of Miley's face, smiling deviously. "That or I took it and hid it from you."

Miley snatched it from her. "You didn't look through it, did you?" she asked, voice tight.

Her pulse picked up slightly. The song she'd written for Lilly was still in there. She would die if Lilly had found it and read it.

"No. Why? Is there something in there I shouldn't see?" she asked conspiratorially, leaning over playfully to get a glimpse of the inside.

"No, no," Miley emitted a short nervous laugh. "Just a note from Oliver, proclaiming his undying love for me."

"I thought we moved past that point in his obsession with Hannah," Lilly joked. "I thought he was on to stalking and raiding your trashcans."

Miley whapped Lilly gently in the stomach. "Don't even joke about that."

Lilly chortled. "As if Oliver would do that. He gave up on Hannah, you know that."

Hesitantly chuckling, Miley nodded. She was just glad that Lilly had seemingly forgotten about the purse. Robby Ray watched the exchange silently, noticing the blush over Miley's cheeks and wondering, not for the first time, if his little girl hadn't been heartbroken over a boy.

The limo fell into an uncomfortable silence. Miley was still thinking about the silent song written on a scrap of paper. Lilly twiddled her thumbs, wanting to talk, but not willing, for once, to start a 

conversation. The silence acted like peanut butter, sticking her tongue to the roof of her mouth and making it difficult to speak.

Miley jumped when her cell phone rang, and she hurried to open her purse and answer it. She smiled shyly when she saw the name on the caller ID. "Hey, Katie," she whispered, trying to keep the phone call as private as possible in the small area.

It took Lilly a moment before realization dawned on her, and she flushed and looked away. Miley was obviously talking to the girl she had seen at the mall.

"What?"

Lilly looked back over to Miley, whose face had fallen slightly.

"Are you alright? No, no… I can't right now, I've got something I can't miss," she said, face twisted in worry. "Look, I'm going to call my brother. Head over to my house, and he'll let you in. Just stay there until I get home, okay? I'll try not to be too late. I've got to go, though. Okay. Me too. Yeah. Bye."

Lilly cocked her head at her friend questioningly, but received a sad shake of the head in return as Miley dialed home. There was a short wait until the other end of the line picked up. "Jackson? What are you doing? No, wait, please don't answer that. I need a favor," she paused as the normal moaning sounded and she waited patiently until he was done. "Look, Katie's coming over, and I need you to let her in for me. She's going to stay there until I get home. Just do it, Jackson, it's important," she growled, frustrated. "Thank you. I'll get you tickets to an Angels game if you want as thanks. Sure, I'll see what I can do. Jackson, I've got to go," she sighed, hanging up.

"Everything okay, bud?" her dad asked her, mirroring the concerned look on Lilly's face.

She shook her head, leaning her forehead on the cool window. "My friend Katie had a fight with her mom and dad, so she's going to crash at our house for tonight."

He blinked in confusion. "Do I know Katie?" She shook her head in the negative. "What were they fighting about?"

"Can we talk about it later?" she pleaded, still not looking at either him or Lilly. They relented, but only because it was obvious she wasn't going to say anything else on the matter anyway.

It seemed like hours before Robby opened one of the doors and stepped out. Miley scurried out behind him with Lilly hot on her tail. Both blushed mildly as Lilly collided into Miley as she tripped on the curb.

Miley was rushed into make-up as soon as she stepped into the concert stadium. Lilly waved at Miley's retreating form. Robby stood next to her, his arms folded against his chest. He stared down at Lilly, wishing his mustache would stop itching. Lilly glanced at him and smiled weakly.

"Mr. Montana…" she acknowledged him, wondering if he knew that he was staring. It was making her uncomfortable.

"Lola," he tilted his hat slightly in greeting. "What d'you say we go wait in her dressing room?"

"Will there be hot dogs? Or sushi? Or a chocolate fountain? Or how about cookies?" Lilly instantly forgot about any embarrassment she might have felt and bolted off to find food. She, like many adolescent boys, was easily swayed by good food.

Robby Ray chuckled and headed in the same direction, although his pace was a great deal slower. He just hoped Lilly didn't choke on anything. She reminded him so much of Jackson at times. Both of them were vacuum cleaners. It was no surprise to hear Lilly's happy shouts a few moments later.

"Mini corndogs! Lola like-y!"

When he arrived in the dressing room, Lilly had collapsed to the couch, hand resting on her stomach, eyes closed in delight. Half the tray of mini corndogs had disappeared into her belly.

"Lola?" He waved a hand in front of her blissful face. She didn't physically respond but managed a happy grunt. "Can you open your eyes, kiddo?"

She pried one open, "Yeah?"

"I wanted to talk," he sat on the coffee table in front of her, waiting for her to sit up straight.

"About what?" Still rubbing her stomach, Lilly leaned forward, propping herself up by settling her chin on her hands and her elbows on her knees.

"Miley. She's been a little… off, recently, and I was wondering if you could tell me why."

Lilly fell back against the couch, cheeks stained a brilliant red. "Mr. Montana…"

"Listen, I know there's that unspoken thing between friends never to tell secrets to parents, but I'm worried about her. I've seen things become a little strained between the two of you, and Miley's been acting strange. And to top it off, there was that phone call in the car. I'd never even head of this Katie girl before tonight. I just want to make sure my baby girl's alright."

"Miley's… Miley's fine. She's just going through some... stuff…" Lilly replied, remaining purposefully vague. She was not enjoying this conversation. It felt like she was betraying Miley by even admitting as much as she had.

"Just, well… Just let me know if there's anything I should worry about, okay?" She nodded that she would. "Thanks, Lola," Robby reached up and adjusted his hat. His eyes never left Lilly's though she was looking everywhere else in the room but at him.

Miley plowed into the room then, painted up to perfection, giving Lilly the perfect excuse to get away from Robby Ray. Her wig was settled safely on her head, though a few strands were caught in her lip gloss. Lilly jumped to her feet, skittering away from Robby Ray. She reached forward, brushing the hairs out of Miley's face. Her blush had faded from tomato stain to faint pink.

Miley grinned happily, her earlier down mood forcibly forgotten for the moment. "This is going to be a great concert," she beamed, completely oblivious to the uncomfortable atmosphere in the room.

"Yeah, especially since your good luck charm is feelin' good," Lilly rubbed her hands together, blowing on them slightly. Miley giggled.

And, barring one obsessed fan nearly crawling on stage, the performance was flawless and Miley produced not one, nor two, but four encore songs. By the time she was done singing, her face was flushed and her adrenaline was pumping. She practically danced off stage, swinging Lilly around as she worked off her performance high.

Her performance high quickly turned into nervous energy, however, when she remembered Katie waiting at home for her, and why. The ride home was uncomfortable for all involved. Miley stared out the window, all nerves and worried energy. Lilly watched her, wondering what had happened to Miley's… girlfriend… that would cause the girl to act like this.

Robby Ray, for his part, just watched the two of them and didn't say a word.

When the car stopped in front of the Stewart house, Miley was already out, walking quickly to the door. Lilly shared a look with Miley's dad before they followed. Entering the house, Lilly saw Miley in the kitchen, conversing quietly with Jackson.

As Lilly approached the kitchen Miley's urgent tones became clearer. "… just fell asleep? Did she tell you what happened?"

Jackson shook his head, and waved at Lilly and his dad in acknowledgement. "She didn't say much. She went up to your room when she got here, but came back down a little after and said she didn't want to be alone. So we sat on the couch watching TV 'til she fell asleep, about an hour ago."

Miley nodded and looked back at her girlfriend, who Lilly had just noticed on the couch. Lilly felt an irrational stab of jealousy toward the girl. Who was she to make Miley worry like this?

The female Stewart thanked her brother and walked over to the couch. Lilly had to turn away as she crouched in front of the girl, tenderness and concern written on her face.

"Hey there," Miley whispered, shaking the small girl lightly. She was rewarded with slowly blinking eyes and a sleepy smile that Miley melted for.

"Hey there yourself," Katie whispered in return, reaching out and stroking Miley's cheek lovingly. They stayed like that for a minute, until the sounds from the kitchen penetrated their haze, and Katie pulled away and sat up. "What time is it?" she yawned, stretching like a cat.

"A little after one."

Katie looked at her strangely. "I thought you weren't going to be late?" she asked, slightly confused.

Miley flopped next to her on the couch and sighed. "Trust me, this is nothing." There was a brief pause before she leaned her head on the shorter girl's shoulder. "Was it horrible?"

She felt Katie nod, and heard her take a deep breath, trying to keep herself calm. "Yeah. I'm not sure they're going to let me back home," she whispered, her voice cracking as she spoke.

Lilly, who was at a loss for anything else to do while Miley and Katie talked, sat in the kitchen with Jackson and ate a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Robby Ray had said goodnight already, and was long asleep in his room.

"So," Jackson said after several minutes of slightly uncomfortable silence.

"So," she responded after it was clear he wasn't going to say anything further.

He took a bite out of his ice cream and looked toward the living room, where his sister was leaning against the Katie's shoulder. "How long have you guys known Katie?" he asked, still watching the two on the couch.

"I've never met her," Lilly snapped, irrationally bitter.

Jackson turned to her in surprise. "Really? But Miley tells you everything."

"Yeah, I know." Lilly knew it wasn't his fault, but Jackson's words were opening a wound she didn't really want to acknowledge, and the easiest way for her to deal with pain was to dish it right back. She just didn't know anything that would hurt him.

"Do you think they're dating?"

Lilly choked on her ice cream. Jackson pounded her back lightly, helping to free up her airway. "What?" she asked, surprised. Who knew that Jackson was this observant?

He shrugged. "I've just been thinking recently. Miley's never really shown an interest in guys. And look at them; it's kind of obvious if you're looking for it, you know?"

Lilly turned in her chair to look at the couple on the couch. There was definitely no hiding that they were together. Katie was laying with her head in Miley's lap, and Miley was stroking the other girl's hair softly. Lilly could hear the sobs from the kitchen. Shaking her head, she slid out of her seat and stood. "I don't know, Jackson. But would it really be that bad?" she asked, testing the water a little for her best friend.

"No," he shrugged picking up both of their empty bowls and carrying them to the sink. "I just want to make sure Miley's happy, because my life sucks when she's not."

Lilly laughed as she walked out of the kitchen and over to the couple, gaining Miley's attention as she did. "We going to bed?" she asked, sitting on the back of the couch.

Katie sat up when she heard Lilly's voice, and looked at the blonde, confused. "Who are you?" she asked, looking more at Miley than Lilly.

"Katie, this is Lilly. Lilly, this is Katie," she introduced, standing and stretching. "Now that we all know each other, I vote for sleep."

Lilly forced a laugh as she nodded. They didn't say anything else until they reached Miley's room, whereupon Lilly flopped on the bed and sprawled out, waving the other two off. "I call the bed. You two lovebirds can sleep on the floor, as punishment for all the emotional scarring you've put me through and shall put me through in the future."

Miley laughed and whapped her with a pillow. "Scoot over octopus, there's enough room for all three of us."

"Ooh, Kin-kay," Lilly waggled her eyebrows, getting a blush from Miley and a giggle from Katie. Sighing, Lilly scooted to the edge and turned to face the foot of the bed, stealing Miley's favorite pillow in the process. "You know what you did," she mock-glared at the other girl when she complained. Miley glared in return, but said nothing and left the room for more pillows.

"So you're Miley's best friend?"

Lilly looked at Katie, measuring her up. She supposed the short girl was pretty enough, but there was nothing special Lilly could see that would have attracted Miley. "Yeah. You must be the girlfriend," she said, the bitterness in her tone evident. Katie stayed on the other side of the room, but Lilly instantly felt bad as she watched tears well up in her green eyes. "I'm sorry, really. I…" Lilly scrambled for words to keep the other girl from crying. "Miley didn't tell me about you; didn't tell me she was dating anyone, actually. I just found out earlier today, and then here you are, full in the flesh, and I'm mad at Miley for keeping this secret, you know? I know I shouldn't take it out on you, it's not your fault…" Lilly trailed off as Katie smiled softly through her tears. "What?"

She shook her head, wiping away her tears. She never got the chance to answer, because Miley returned to the room then, and seeing that Katie was crying again, dropped the pillows she was carrying and gathered the small girl in her arms.

"What happened?" Lilly asked, morbidly curious.

It took a few minutes for the raven-haired girl to calm down. When she did, she and Miley climbed into bed and sat at the head, facing Lilly, with Miley's arms wrapped around Katie from behind. Katie took a deep breath. "A friend of my mom's saw me and Miley together. My parents are like those super-conservative Catholics who hate everything that's different from what they grew up with. Needless to say, I'm not welcome in their home until I 'straighten out.'" She made quote signs in the air. "With bunny rabbit ears."

Miley smiled at the attempted joke. "I have some pj's for you if you want," she offered the other two girls. They nodded, and, taking the proffered sleeping garments, each took a turn in bathroom changing.

When Katie, who was last, returned, Miley wrapped her arms around her and leaned in for a kiss. Lilly had to look away, an embarrassed flush staining her cheeks. "Let's get some sleep," Miley said, turning out the light. Lilly slid under the covers from her end of the bed, while she heard the other two curl up at their end, whispering softly.

Lilly fell asleep quickly, but her dreams were haunted by a brunette girl being stolen away by a pair of green eyes.

--

In all too short a time, Lilly had the unpleasant sensation of falling. As she opened her eyes, she felt herself slipping off the edge of the bed, and flailed for purchase on the blankets. Unsuccessful, she hit the ground with a solid thud, waking up the other two occupants of the bed. Miley's head appeared over the edge a moment later, sleep clouding her eyes and her hair sticking out every which way. "You 'kay?" she slurred tiredly.

Lilly nodded, unmoving. Receiving confirmation that the blonde was not in any mortal peril, Miley disappeared from Lilly's vision, and a light snoring sound filled the room again mere seconds later. Lilly, now wide awake, sat up and cringed. The two girls were wrapped in each other's arms, smiling contently in their sleep. With a groan, Lilly stood up and made her way out of the room and down to the kitchen, where she was surprised to find Robby Ray, already making breakfast. She glanced at the clock on the stove and grimaced. It was only 6:30.

"And to what do I owe the pleasure of your company at this fine early hour?" he asked in a voice that was much too chipper to be in use before ten.

"Fell out of bed," she grumbled, settling herself into a chair at the table. "Why are you up? And making breakfast this early? You don't really expect everyone to get up after last night, do you?"

He laughed and shook his head, cracking another egg on the counter. "Breakfast is just for me, unless you want some?" She nodded that she did, so he threw a few more sausages in the frying pan. "As for why I'm up, I have a meeting with Miley's label at nine. They want to know when she plans on getting back in the studio, when we're going to confirm the dates for the next tour, that kind of stuff."

"Oh." Lilly looked at Miley's dad with a new kind of respect. "You know, Mr. S, you are a really great guy."

He laughed and waved her off. "Thank you Lilly, but I was gonna feed you anyway."

They sat in silence for a few moments longer, before Robby Ray broached the very subject Lilly had been thinking about. "So did you find out what happened with your friend?"

"She's not _my _friend," Lilly responded, a little snootily. "But, I don't know… it's not my place to say."

The eldest Stewart nodded as he set a plate of toast, scrambled eggs and sausages in front of the ravenous teenager. "I understand, Lilly. Look," he said, sitting across from her, "I just want to help, and I can't do that if no one tells me anything. As much as everyone seems to think differently, I don't like being blindsided like a raccoon on the highway. Like I told you last night, I'm just worried."

Lilly stared at her half-eaten eggs guiltily. "I'm sorry Mr. Stewart. I can't say anything, either."

Sighing, he shook his head dug into his own breakfast, letting the uncomfortable silence drag out longer. Lilly resumed eating as well, though she had all but lost her appetite.

When they were done eating, Robby Ray took and washed their plates before putting them in the dishwasher. When he was done, he turned back to Lilly, leaning against the counter behind him. "Just… Lilly I want you to promise me that you'll tell me if Miley is into anything that will hurt her."

She nodded at the earnest note to his voice. "Of course, Mr. Stewart."

"Thanks. Well, I'd better get going. It's gonna be a long day."

She waved goodbye as she took up residence on the couch, too awake to go back to sleep, and too tired to do much else. Flipping on the TV, she laughed as she came across the Saturday morning cartoons. Settling herself in for some long overdue cartoonage, she couldn't help but think the cartoons she grew up with were much better. What could possibly beat _Dexter's Lab_ or _The Powerpuff Girls_?

As nine o'clock rolled around, and cartoons began to give way to the news and other lame adult shows, she roused herself from the couch. Deciding that Miley had slept long enough, she made her way back to the brunette's bedroom with the intent of waking her up. She opened the door, stood there like a deer in headlights for a second, then spun around and slammed the door behind her. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god," she repeated as she ran downstairs to the sanctuary of the couch.

"Lilly!"

The blonde had just reached the bottom of the stairs when Miley's voice reached her, and she stopped dead in her tracks. She couldn't stay there. Miley was there. Miley would want to talk. She couldn't talk to Miley! So, without another thought, she flung the front door open and sprinted home, still wearing Miley's pajamas.

--

Miley stood at her door, watching Lilly run away. She hadn't even thought about Lilly that morning when she had woken up to Katie kissing her. And, in her sleep induced haze, they had gone further than they had before, to her pleasure. Shaking her head in disappointment and frustration, Miley shut the door and made her way back up to her room, where she found a fully dressed Katie sitting on her bed. With a groan, she flopped facedown onto the bed next to her.

"That kind of killed the mood, huh?" Katie smiled, rubbing her hand in a circle on Miley's lower back.

"Ya think?"

They sat in silence for a few minutes, enjoying each other's company before Katie sighed, "She doesn't like me very much, does she?"

Miley rolled onto her back and tugged the smaller girl down to lay with her. "Who, Lilly? I don't know. This is all kind of a system shock to her, I guess. I don't think its anything against you, really."

A few more minutes of silence, then, "I need to find a place to stay."

Miley nodded, knowing that as much as she wanted, Katie really couldn't stay with her. "You can stay here until you find somewhere else," she offered hopefully.

"Thanks, but I should get going. I have a cousin in the city I can crash with for a few days. I'll give you a call when I get there," she leaned over and kissed Miley thoroughly.

When they parted, both of them were breathing hard. "I think you can wait a little longer," Miley whispered, pulling the other girl back down.

When they broke for air again, Katie got up and walked slowly over to the door, swaying her hips seductively as she did. She locked it and turned back to Miley, a mischievous glint to her eyes. "I guess I'm not really in any hurry."


	6. Sweet Dreams

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 6**

Sweet Dreams

_They say dreams are the windows of the soul -- take a peek and you can see the inner workings, the nuts and bolts._ -- Henry Bromel

--

Lilly was sitting at her kitchen table, eating lunch with her mom in silence. This worried the elder Truscott for two reasons. 1) She couldn't remember the last time Lilly had been this quiet, and 2) she was never home at lunchtime on a Saturday. Something had to have happened, and it was her motherly duty to get to the bottom of it.

"Is there something wrong, Lilly pad?" she ventured, hoping to get some reaction.

Lilly's eyes darted to her mom, panicked. "Wrong? No, nothing. Why would something be wrong?" she asked, trying to act calm and failing miserably.

Lilly's mom leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, pinning her daughter with the 'mom glare.' "Lillian, why aren't you out with Oliver or Miley? Or at the skate park?" She had noticed Lilly flush at Miley's name. So, it was something to do with the brunette.

The younger Truscott closed her eyes. "Mom, there's nothing wrong."

Heather sighed, and shook her head, a little angry. "Lilly, if you don't want to talk to me about it, that's fine, but don't lie to me and say everything is fine."

Lilly, looked up at her mother, tears in her eyes. "Mom, I'm sorry. I'm just…"

Instantly forgetting her anger, she stood and moved to the seat next to Lilly, put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a hug. "Lilly, you can tell me anything, you know that."

They sat in silence for a while, Lilly enjoying her mother's comfort. "Mom, Miley told me she's gay."

Pulling away, Heather looked at her daughter in surprise. "Really? Wow. I can't say I saw that one coming."

Lilly laughed and leaned her head back on her chair. "I know, right? It hit me like a ton of bricks."

"So, are you worried that she likes you?"

Lilly laughed again. "That's actually how she came out to me. She told me she liked me. I turned her down, but… I've never felt… normal? Yeah… I can't feel normal around her again. I feel like I'm reading too much into every little gesture and look. It's driving me insane because I feel like I'm 

pushing away my best friend! She didn't even tell me she was dating someone! I found out because I saw them kissing! What kind of best friend doesn't tell me she's dating someone?"

Her mother set a soothing hand on her shoulder. "A best friend who wants things to go back to normal. I'm sure she's as worried about pushing you away with all this as you are of losing her."

Lilly sighed and leaned forward, letting her head hit the table. "I walked in on them this morning," she muttered into the wood.

Heather just looked at her confused for a minute before realization dawned. "Oh. Oh! Oh. Well… that must have been… enlightening," she laughed.

"Mom!" Lilly sat up, mortified at her mother's enjoyment of her pain. "Miley's never going to want to talk to me again!"

Shaking her head, her mother grabbed the dishes and smiled. "I wouldn't be too sure of that."

Before Lilly could reply that yes, she was sure, there was a knock on the door. She turned slowly to the door, fearing that Miley had indeed come to talk.

"Are you going to get that?" Her mother called from the kitchen. When Lilly didn't answer, she huffed and walked to the front door. She opened it to find a pensive Miley standing on her doorstep. "Hello, Miley."

--

"Ms. Truscott," she nodded. "Is Lilly here?"

Nodding, Lilly's mother smiled. "Did you want to come in?"

"I'll wait here, if that's alright."

A few minutes later, Lilly appeared in the doorway flushed red and refusing to look at Miley. "Hey Miles."

"Do you want to go for a walk?" Miley asked, smiling softly.

Lilly nodded stiffly and stepped out, shutting the door behind her. Miley stepped away as she did, making sure to give Lilly enough room.

They walked for about fifteen minutes along deserted beachfront before Miley spoke. "Ask me."

Lilly turned and looked at her, confused. "What?"

"Ask me. Anything you want. I can't take this anymore, Lilly. You're my best friend, and I feel like you're slipping away because I make you uncomfortable," she cried, throwing her arms up in frustration.

Lilly averted her gaze, ashamed. "I don't know what to say, Miley. I mean, I guess… I'm sorry about this morning."

Miley blushed and looked at the ground under her feet. "Yeah, me too. I, uh… she kind of… well, woke me up like that… and I, um… couldn't really concentrate… so I didn't even think you were still there, 'til you… you know, walked in…" She was redder than a tomato by the time she finished talking.

They remained silent for a few more minutes before Lilly started talking again. "So, are you going to tell her about Hannah?"

Miley smiled at her best friend and shook her head. "Nah, not unless we're together for like a year. I'm not dumb enough to think this will last forever, so the less people who know, the safer I am. Plus, the tabloids running false stories about Hannah and Lola are enough for me," she grinned. Lilly went wide-eyed and felt her throat dry up. Too late, Miley realized what she had said. "Crap. Lilly, I'm sorry. I didn't… God, this is so frickin' hard!" she yelled, stopping in her tracks and clenching her fists in frustration. Surprised by the outburst, Lilly stopped as well. Miley looked at her, tears falling down at an alarming rate. "Damn it, Lilly, I try and I try and I try to be the way we were, and all I get is guarded looks and you running away from anything I do. I'm just trying to be your friend again and you're not letting me! I haven't changed!"

"But you have!" Lilly yelled back, angry at Miley for being angry at her. "I can't just forget about it when you come flouncing in with Katie on your arm! This is all new to me, Miley! My parents never brought it up, I don't have anyone in my extended family who swings that way – for chrissakes I'd never even met a gay person until you! It's different from anything I've ever had in my life, and us just dancing around the subject isn't helping me. I mean, are you still attracted to me? Was it just some passing thing? Or are you with Katie, hoping I'll come around? Because if – "

"Whoa whoa whoa! Where did that come from?" Miley interrupted, confused. "Do you think I'm with Katie to make you jealous?"

Lilly was silent for a moment as she thought about the question. "No," she said with a sigh, "I just miss you. I miss my best friend. The way you were before…"

"Before I was gay," Miley finished, arms crossed and a hurt look on her face.

Lilly nodded weakly, looking out over the ocean, not willing to see the pain she had inflicted on her friend.

"I haven't changed, you know. I just told you my biggest secret. And, to be honest, this one was a lot bigger than Hannah. Basically, it feels like you don't want me to be this way, because it suddenly changes who I am, and who I've been for years. Why can't it just be another piece to me? You know, something that adds to the picture, not changes it altogether." Stepping forward, Miley set her hands on her friend's shoulders. "Lilly, I'm still your best friend, the same person I was two years ago and two months ago. And, if it makes you feel better, I solemnly swear upon our friendship that I am not hitting on you. I am trying to be your friend. Because, really, if I lose you, I'm stuck with Ollie and Jake. And that is too cruel a fate for anyone."

Lilly laughed and nodded, leaning forward and embracing the slightly taller girl. "I'm sorry I've been so difficult. I just don't know how to act."

"Just act like Lilly, it's worked so far." That evoked the laugh Miley was seeking, and she smiled. "Tracie is throwing a party tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to go with me?"

Lilly broke the embrace and stepped back. "What about Katie?"

"She's going to be in LA with a cousin, she won't mind. She thinks you hate her."

Lilly wrapped her arms around herself and set off down the beach again. "I'm not exactly her biggest fan," she grumbled, loud enough for Miley to hear. After some more silence, Lilly nodded. "What time do you want me to be there?"

--

"To the party!" Lilly yelled, striking a pose as she reached the bottom of the stairs, where Jackson was waiting to drive them. Lilly grinned manically – this would be good for them, she had decided. There would, undoubtedly, be hot guys at this party. It would be enough to convince her that they could survive as best friends and that Miley was still just Miley… and Hannah.

Unfortunately, the party proved something else to Lilly. Miley didn't seem to notice, for which Lilly was grateful, but every time a guy came to so much as say 'hi' to Hannah, Lola was right there, cutting off conversation and dragging Miley off to get more punch, like some sort of jealous boyfriend… girlfriend… thing.

"There are a lot of guys here," Lilly complained, grabbing her fifth cup of punch.

"No more than usual, Lola," Miley responded, snagging another cup for herself with a smile.

"But they're all hitting on you. And you're flirting with them!" Lilly snapped her mouth shut. So what? So what if Miley was flirting and having a good time? Lilly had no right to infringe on that.

"What do you want me to do? Paint a large 'FLIRTING PROHIBITED' sandwich board sign and wear it over my clothes?" If Miley didn't know better, she'd say that Lilly was jealous.

"Yes," Lilly sniffed, "that would be nice."

Miley laughed out loud at that. "Its not like I mean it," she smiled reassuringly. "I am with Katie." Maybe this was just a joke to Lilly. It must be. She shook the silly notion that Lilly was starting to like her out of her head. That was a train of thought that was sure to get into a massive wreck. She was already with someone, anyway.

For the rest of the evening, though, she watched as Lilly continuously blocked any male – and a few females – from talking to her. It was almost amusing. Lilly was trailing behind her like a guard dog, sending glares at people as she seemingly staked out her territory.

"Look, Lola, I've got to use the bathroom. Wait here for me? Great," Miley handed Lilly the glass of punch before hurrying to the restroom. She wasn't alone inside, though – her dark haired, nasally-challenged friend was fixing her make-up.

"Oooh, Hannah, your concert last night was amaaazing. But why is that Lola girl all over you? Are you two, like, dating?" Traci popped her shoulders up and down and twisted a strand of hair between her fingers.

"No, Lola's still just the best friend. She's just looking out for me," Miley headed for an open stall.

"'Still' just the best friend?" Traci repeated, apparently unsatisfied with that answer. "So, what, are you waiting for more?"

Miley held off on answering. She really disliked holding conversations while she was using the facilities. Upon exiting and washing her hands, she shrugged. "Not really. Maybe, if I wasn't with someone already."

"Ooooh!" Traci puckered and smacked her lips, deciding that she was perfect enough. "I didn't know you were into girls," she said, turning to the brunette.

Miley chuckled softly as she went to the paper towels, drying her hands. "Yeah, I've been dating this girl for about a month, but some things have come up recently. Drama, you know?" she frowned. "I really like her, but… Lola has major issues with it all."

Traci gave her a sympathetic pat on the shoulder as she walked past. "Well, you'll have to let me know how it goes. Lola seems like a good friend, for all that she's a dork."

Miley laughed out loud as Traci left the bathroom. She was such an odd girl. Miley didn't think she'd ever understand the inner workings of that twisted little mind.

When she found Lilly again, the other girl was still cradling Miley's drink, posture screaming her discomfort. Her face relaxed when Miley strode into view and she broke into a wide smile.

"Hannah! There you are! I was beginning to wonder if you fell in," Lilly grinned as she handed Miley her drink back. "Your drink was getting a little warm, so I got you an ice cube. Well, two ice cubes."

"Thanks, Lola," Miley thought her behavior was cute, if nothing else.

The rest of the evening was much of the same, though Lola lapsed a few times as celebrities caught her attention. Though she was no newbie to Hannah's world, she was still star-struck easily and her shrill shrieks were common place.

Miley was all too happy when the party was over, though. Katie had called to say she was settled in with her cousin, and they had talked for a while, leaving Miley with a giddy smile. Now that her conscience was soothed after talking to her girlfriend, she really just wanted to spend some quality time with Lilly, without the loud music and yammering people. Most of all she wanted Lilly to relax for more than two seconds. By the time they got to the Stewart house, it was going on one in the morning. The girls clambered into Miley's bed without a thought, asleep before they even hit the pillows.

_Lilly sat at the table in Miley's kitchen, watching Miley bustle around, a tidy hot pink apron tied neatly around Miley's waist. Miley was whistling a familiar tune that haunted the air and she was fiddling with something that Lilly couldn't see. Miley appeared intent on what she was doing, her hands hidden from view. While Miley was busy, Lilly glanced around the room, and was deeply confused by the shades of gray that clung to everywhere else in the house._

_Miley approached, holding her creation daintily by her fingertips. Her face was cheerful and her whistling had dimmed into humming. It drove Lilly nuts – the tune was achingly familiar, but she couldn't place it. Rather than waste time thinking about it, though, Lilly turned her attention to Miley's hands. Sitting in those slim fingers was a small dolphin carved out of a kind of shiny rock. Lilly reached for it, trying to take it, but only succeeded in letting it drop and shatter on the floor._

_Lilly dropped to her knees, reaching for the shards. She winced slightly as a jagged edge cut her finger. Drops of blood welled up, drizzling down her hands and splattered to the floor, but she ignored it, intent on fixing the figurine. Before she could pick up the pieces, Miley grabbed her hand and pulled her back to her feet. Miley's face was the picture of innocence and it was if she didn't see the blood coating Lilly's hands. Lilly stared at Miley a moment, and then glanced back at her hands; she was shocked to find them completely clean._

_Miley still hadn't spoken a word and Lilly opened her mouth to speak, only to find that her lips were sealed. No amount of jerking or straining could part them. Frustrated, she reached up, prying with sharp fingernails. The only product of her pain was sore lips. Once again, Miley seized her hands, but _

_this time Lilly found herself being tugged from the kitchen and into the black and white world around them._

_They stopped, or rather Miley stopped and Lilly tumbled to a halt, outside in a flower garden. It was a garden that Lilly had never seen before and she couldn't quite remember how Miley had gotten them there, but it struck her as irrelevant. Miley reached out, plucking a gray rose and sniffing it once before tossing it aside. It took only a moment for Miley's attention to return to Lilly._

_Miley leaned forward and Lilly watched; it felt as if she was outside of her body and none of this was really happening to her anymore. In a flash, Miley's lips were on her neck, Miley's hands caressing her sides and ribs gently. The other Lilly moaned quietly, hands reciprocating the attention by sliding up Miley's arms and linking behind the brunette's neck. One of Miley's hands left Lilly's stomach, traveling south, while Miley proceeded to ravish Lilly's lips with her own._

Lilly sat bolt upright in bed, panting and sweaty. Miley rolled over next to her and Lilly scrambled away slowly, her dream still playing on the insides of her eyelids every time she shut her eyes. It wasn't a scary dream, but it terrified the blonde more than any nightmare could have. She'd dreamt of boys before, not doing quite the same thing, but in the same sort of idea. But she'd never dreamt of Miley that way. The most disturbing part was that she had actually seemed to be enjoying the attention, willing, even, to return it. Had walking in on Miley and Katie affected her more than she knew?

She huddled at the foot of the bed, curling up well away from Miley's innocent face. With her back to her best friend, Lilly shut her eyes, willing the dream away. Instead, she ran through a list of vegetables, which she always found distracting. She could always argue with herself for a while over whether or not tomatoes counted. It was enough to calm her frazzled nerves and lull her back to sleep.

--


	7. Emotional Maze

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 7  
**Emotional Maze

_The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - _Oscar Wilde

--

At nine o'clock in the morning on Sunday, Lilly woke again, this time to someone pounding loudly on Miley's door. She groaned softly – the dream and several others like it had been constant companions during her rest and she did not appreciate them.

The brunette in question sat up, rubbing a fist over her eyes. She spotted Lilly at the other end of the bed and tilted her head. Her tired and confused look lapsed into a yawn. She snagged a pillow and chucked it at her door.

"Stop it Jackson!" she hollered loudly, hoping it would be enough to get the pounding to cease.

"Get up, you two! Dad's finished making pancakes!" he hollered back, just as loudly, but stopped pounding. "And if you don't hurry up, I'm eating yours, too!"

Lilly stumbled to her feet, hoping Miley wouldn't ask what she was doing at the foot of the bed. She ran a hand through her hair, trying to tame it. Miley followed suit, though her hair was slightly wilder than Lilly's. Together they tottered downstairs and into the waiting chairs around the table.

Lilly was extremely uncomfortable. Just looking at the kitchen made her think about the Dream - yes, with a capital letter. It just needed one. The Dream made her feel very… aroused, to her embarrassment.

Fortunately, nobody paid much attention to her as they feasted. Robby Ray was busy arguing with Jackson over Jackson's household chores, and how they never seemed to get done. Miley was too tired to talk much and her face was nearly in her pancakes.

After breakfast was eaten by Lilly and Robby Ray, inhaled by Jackson, and absorbed via osmosis by Miley, the two girls returned upstairs to clean up. Miley hit the shower first and Lilly occupied herself by rooting around Miley's room idly. She straightened the bed, pushed in a few drawers that were jutting out and finally crashed on Miley's desk chair.

Half an hour later, Miley emerged from the bathroom and reentered her bedroom, towel wrapped tightly around her body. Lilly gulped slightly, eyes fixed momentarily on the curves the towel so nicely revealed. She grabbed her change of clothing and ran for the bathroom, silently reprimanding herself for gazing at Miley's barely clad body in any way shape or form. That was not how best friends looked at each other.

Miley watched Lilly hurry away with a puzzled smile. She waited until the door to the bathroom was secure before pulling on the day's clothing. Casting a few secretive glances around, she opened a desk drawer and pulled out a slim black journal. She opened it to a fresh page, dated it, and set the tip of her pen down on the first line.

After jotting down the events of the past few days and her wildly spinning emotions regarding Lilly and Katie, Miley snapped the journal shut, feeling a little better. Just getting it off her chest and out of her head was a relief. She slid the slim book back into the drawer and proceeded to wait patiently.

Eleven minutes later a clean and redressed Lilly appeared in her doorway, smiling. In the shower, Lilly had taken a few moments to clear her mind and bury the Dream deeply in her memories. She had tried to focus her mind as she showered, with minimal success.

Miley was still just her best friend, right? What she was feeling was how she'd always felt, but seeing Miley with Katie had probably caused her to be hyper-aware of what she thought. It made sense to her and she accepted the reasoning. But that only brought up further worries – Had she really felt this way about Miley the whole time?

Rather than worry herself to pieces and waste water, Lilly had hurried up and rinsed off. She shut the water off and reached for her towel. As she wrapped it around her body and began rubbing herself dry, she was hit by another thought. Why was she so against feeling something for Miley? Lilly had to admit that Miley was the prettiest girl she knew. Not to mention loyal. Miley had stuck by her through a lot, even their teenage angst-ridden spats. She'd never had someone so devoted to her before. These past few days were definite proof of that.

So if it wasn't Miley that she was afraid of, what was it? Lilly gnawed on her lower lip thoughtfully. Sure, she was afraid of what other people would say. It was almost like a nightmare and her overactive imagination would undoubtedly make it ten times worse than it would be. Of course, people had been whispering about her sexuality since freshman year. She'd blown that off, knowing that teenagers will talk about anything different. It was bound to be around since she skateboarded and wasn't as in to fashion as the girls around her. Most people considered her 'one of the guys.' It didn't help that her handful of boyfriends didn't seem to stick.

As she slid her shorts on, she made a decision. They had been assigned a project in science, so she and Miley would be working close quarters all day. She was going to take the opportunity to watch Miley and see how the other girl truly made her feel. That meant she was going to have to maintain a low level of contact and constant conversation. Then, at the end of the day, she'd have her answer - hopefully. Then, she'd know what was bothering her most about this whole situation.

So when she appeared in Miley's doorway, her smile was genuine. She was ready to grab the bull by the horns and take control of her wayward feelings.

"Ready to do some science?" she asked.

"When you are, captain," Miley said with a mock salute. "I figured we could start with the maze before getting a rodent."

"Sounds good," Lilly responded as her face screwed up slightly. "Er, where are we going to get a rodent?"

"My piano."

"That's right!" Lilly giggled. "I forgot about Linda, the wonder mouse."

Miley nodded. "I thought we could use some shoeboxes for the maze. Maybe one for the start and one for the finish? And tons of cardboard for the rest."

"Sounds like a plan, Stan." Lilly walked over, laying a hand on Miley's arm. Miley tilted her head and looked at her strangely, but said nothing.

They set to work. Hours drifted by as they constructed their project; it wasn't a lengthy process, but they made it that way by chattering occasionally. Lilly kept trying to put her hands on Miley, and Miley, while not exactly pulling away, was curious as to her friend's behavior and tried to keep her distance.

Lunchtime came and went. Miley left Lilly working on the almost-finished maze to go and fix them a few sandwiches, a big bowl of popcorn, and grab a couple sodas. She was gone for a total of twelve minutes. In that time, Lilly had managed to wreck half the project.

Miley stared at the mayhem that was once her hard work and sighed. "Sweet nibblets, Lilly… what did you do?"

Lilly gulped and shifted from foot to foot, hands clasped in front of her. She jerked them unsuccessfully – they were stuck together. "I leaned in some super glue… and… then panicked…"

Miley chuckled. "Should I get you to the emergency room?"

"No!" Lilly cried. "I bought the cheap stuff. I just need to put it under water."

Still giggling madly, Miley helped Lilly to the bathroom, turning on the sink water. While Lilly washed her hands free Miley drummed her fingers on the porcelain, thinking. Lilly eyed her cautiously; they were standing less than half a foot apart, the closest they'd been since breakfast.

"Are you mad at me?" Lilly asked meekly, scrubbing her hands vigorously.

"No?" Miley replied, surprised. "Why would you think that?"

And even before she answered, the reason was clear. Of course Lilly would notice that every time they touched, Miley would shy away. Miley felt very foolish.

"You don't let me touch you," Lilly's eyes widened slightly as she realized what she said – and how it had sounded. Then she realized the reason behind Miley's behavior. Miley was trying to get away because it was torture. Touching Lilly was touching the forbidden fruit. "You know what, just forget I said anything. It's okay. I'm okay, you're okay, we're all okay. I should write a book about being okay, that's how okay I am."

"Lilly…" Miley slid one eyebrow up, waiting for Lilly to snap her mouth shut.

"Yeah?"

"It's fine. I'm just being silly."

"Well, okay." Lilly relented, drying her hands. They returned to the world of maze building in relatively uncomfortable silence. The quiet lasted a total of two minutes before Lilly's dam burst and she began chattering as if nothing had happened. After that, it was easy enough for Miley to relax, too.

The damage Lilly had caused was rectified and the maze was completed. Together they lifted it downstairs, careful so as not to ruin it, and settled it next to the piano. Lilly went to the fridge and selected a few wedges of cheese, while Miley opened the top of the piano and, cautiously, lifted Linda out.

Several runs later, they had collected enough data to create a lab-write up and small essay. Linda was resettled into her piano-home and Lilly leaped upon the maze, jumping on it. She'd been dying to do that.

"Do you always have to be so destructive?" Miley joked, watching as Lilly went on to kick the cardboard monster.

"Only most of the time," Lilly grunted.

Miley grinned and turned away. "Well when you're done, we can watch some television."

In an instant, the maze was discarded and Lilly had thrown herself over the back of the couch, nestling down between the cushions. "Woo!"

"Y'know, I get the feeling that Oliver isn't the only doughnut I know." Miley settled down near Lilly's feet, hitting the power button on the remote. They watched the ending of a sitcom, since it was near the end of the hour, before flipping through the channels. Miley paused a moment on the news channel.

"Our meteorologist, Phil Metcalf, will tell us about the coming meteor shower," The anchor fiddled with the papers in front of him, trying to look important and interested.

"Tonight is a great night to get outside, John," Phil responded, tapping the wall behind him. "Shooting stars everywhere. Just grab a blanket and some hot chocolate and look up to the sky. It should start around ten o'clock, and last an hour, at least."

Lilly jumped to her feet, excited. Miley watched her, deeply amused – the blonde was so easily keyed up.

"Miley! We should watch!" Lilly nearly yelled. "Come on! You know you want to! I'll bring the blanket, you bring the hot chocolate, Nature brings the entertainment…"

"Sure," Miley got up as well. It was nearly five, so there was plenty of time to clean up the mess they had made while making the maze and get ready for some star-gazing.

Lilly ran for the door, nearly outside before she yelled back. "I'll meet you in your backyard in at nine-thirty, okay?"

"Okay!" Miley hollered, though she knew Lilly was already gone. She shook her head knowingly and began cleaning the living room. Turning the television off, she fumbled with the remote a moment.

If this was anyone else, she might consider this a prime excuse for date material. But Lilly was still insistent that she wasn't feeling a relationship – despite the mixed signals Miley was picking up. It was frustrating, but for now all Miley could do was hope and wait. Maybe she'd wish on a star and suddenly Lilly would love her back. She grinned at the thought. Maybe those touches earlier were Lilly's way of saying she was interested. As she thought this, her phone rang.

Pulling it out of her pocket, she smiled. "Hey, you."

"_Who is this?"_

Miley froze at the angry male voice on the other end. "I'm sorry? You called me," she said, checking the caller ID again. "Who are you, and why are you calling me from Katie's phone?"

"_This is her father. Are you the one our daughter has been seeing?"_

Miley immediately fell onto the couch, her legs weak with nerves. "I… I don't know what you mean," she stammered, stalling for inspiration.

"_It doesn't matter. You will not see her again. We're sending her to St. Mary's Academy. Don't try to contact her," _he virtually yelled into the phone, and before he hung up, Miley heard Katie in the background yelling for her.

Staring at the 'Call Ended' on her screen, she wasn't surprised when the tears began to fall.

Time slipped past quickly and soon enough Miley was wiping away her tears and getting ready for Lilly. She dumped some hot chocolate into a thermos, grabbing two large coffee mugs, and hurried to the backyard. Lilly was already there, spreading a relatively small blanket. There was enough room for two, but a very close two.

Miley tucked the thermos into the sand, settling the cups down beside it. She helped Lilly flatten the blanket out; their fingers brushed for a millisecond at one corner and Miley tried to ignore the tremors it caused. She wanted nothing more than to run her fingers over Lilly's. She fought off the shiver of excitement before plopping down onto the blanket, lying with her arms propped against her stomach. This was going to be a platonic evening as long as she could manage to keep her hands to herself. Lilly mimicked her position to her right. Just before ten the first few shooting stars appeared, rushing across the darkened sky.

"Make a wish, Mile." Lilly whispered quietly.

"I wish…" Miley trailed off, staring at the streaking stars. She couldn't help thinking of Katie, and how much she felt like she was betraying her by enjoying herself with Lilly while she was being shipped off to Catholic school. "…for nothing. There's not much more I could ask for," she sighed, knowing it was a lie as she said it.

Lilly giggled softly. "I wish for happiness for us both."

Miley nudged Lilly with an elbow. "Nice thought. Have you thought about writing greeting cards?"

"Nope. But I have thought about working at Hallmark as a cashier." Lilly joked. She hoped she sounded at ease. Internally she was screaming. Just that small brush of Miley's elbow on her side was reawakening memories of the Dream. She was thankful that the darkness hid the blush that threatened to overwhelm her face.

They fell into silence, content to watch the stars shooting overhead. Lilly didn't want to stay quiet for long, though, but rather than talk, she moved her arm so that her hand was on Miley's stomach. A little more motion got her fingers laced with Miley's, much to the surprise of the other girl. Perhaps, she reasoned, if she liked the activity in the Dream, she'd like it as much while awake.

Miley didn't speak. It was almost too good to be true. That Lilly would do something like that had to be a good sign. But, ever cautious, she neither moved her arm to or from Lilly. Letting Lilly take the reins was safe. Then, maybe, it wouldn't be her fault.

And so for a while, they held hands. The world around them was peaceful and quiet. There was nobody else in Miley's backyard, though some rowdier people were a short ways down the beach. They could hear the gentle crash of the waves against the shore as the ocean lapped the sand. They could hear the low chirp of nightly insects going about their insect business. And each could hear the thudding of their heart, growing constantly louder.

Finally Lilly rolled onto her side, freeing her hand. She leaned on an elbow, staring at Miley's face. Before Miley could speak, Lilly leaned forward, and their lips met. Miley was shocked; this was more than she would have even wished for. It was innocent enough, chaste to say the most, but it was enough to sate Miley's desire. When Lilly drew away, Miley placed a fingertip to her lips, silent. Lilly withdrew, blushing.

"I'm sorry… I know you have a girlfriend and…" Lilly murmured. "I just had to know…"

Miley swallowed roughly, trying to find the right words. That kiss was so much more than what she got with Jake, or even Katie. It was filled with feeling, tenderness. Jake was rough and boisterous with his kisses, much like his personality. And with Katie… there had been so much there, but nothing like the spark she had just felt. Lilly was shy and soft, quite the opposite of her personality, and Miley's whole body felt electric after just that brief touch of their lips.

"It's okay," Miley returned. "And I don't have a girlfriend. Her parents caught up with her," she frowned. "They're shipping her off to Catholic school."

"Well, that's not very smart of them, now is it?"

Miley turned to the blonde, confused.

"Well, think about it," Lilly explained. "What is one of guys' biggest fantasies? The innocent Catholic school girl. Now tell me, you, as a declared liker-of-girls, would you say that is one of your fantasies?"

Miley's eyes glazed over as she thought of Lilly in a Catholic school uniform. She nodded absently. "Uh-huh."

"Point proven," Lilly waved, dismissing the idea. "So Katie will be fine, and enjoying herself, I'm sure." When she didn't receive a response, she waved a hand in front of the brunette's eyes, startling her out of her daydream. "You alright there?" she asked, noticing the blush on Miley's cheeks.

Miley nodded, and jumped again as her phone rang. Pulling it out, she frowned at the caller ID before opening it. "Hello? Katie!" she jumped up in surprise and walked a short distance away. Lilly felt her confidence drop from cloud nine to land six feet under in a split second. "No, don't. Look, I know it's hard. God Katie, I don't… Maybe… maybe it's for the best, you know? I mean, you'll be surrounded by all those corruptible Catholic school girls, for one." Lilly heard loud laughter from the speaker and smiled. "I'm going to miss you, too. Yeah… Oh. Really… No, don't. I didn't… okay maybe at first, but it became so much more and completely separate. Yeah… Okay. Take care of yourself. I'll talk to you later. Yeah, I will. I want to know how you are, and where you are. Nah, me and Lilly will bust you out if undead nuns attack you with rulers. But only if they're metal! No, the rulers, not the nuns. I'll miss you. Yeah. Bye," Miley hung up and held the phone to her chest looking out over the ocean, tears in her eyes.

Standing, Lilly moved behind her, but refrained from touching her. "What did she say?"

Miley was silent for a moment before turning back to face Lilly. The tears were flowing steadily, but she was smiling. "She said that she knew we weren't going to last anyway, because she could tell from the start that I was in love with someone else."

"Oh," Lilly stood there, dumbfounded and uncomfortable for a minute, before asking, "Who?"

Miley pushed her playfully. "You, duh."

"Oh." Lilly blushed and let her gaze wander Miley's body, mentally kicking herself for not seeing it earlier. Thinking about it now, she couldn't guess as to how she missed the beauty of her best friend, how she missed the feelings that were obviously there. She realized now that even back when Miley confessed, she had wanted Miley's attention. It just took a lot of pushing to get those feelings into the spotlight.

"I'm sorry, Miley," Lilly started again. "For turning you down before. I think… I think I was scared. That things would change, you know? But I'm, uhh… ready. That is… you know… if you still want me…"

Miley stared blankly at her. _If you still want me_. A few seconds passed and Lilly was growing anxious. Lilly reached a hand towards Miley's face, intent on waving it vigorously to get Miley's attention, but it wasn't needed. Miley grabbed the hand with surprising strength and jerked Lilly forward, throwing the blonde off balance and into another kiss.

"Of course I want you," Miley smiled when they broke the much longer kiss.

They retook their places on the blanket, with Lilly much closer, resting her head on Miley's shoulder. They sat there awkwardly a moment. Lilly wasn't sure if she was doing this right. She'd never been too touchy feely with boys and she had no idea if she was supposed to act the same in a situation like this. Was one of them supposed to take over the boy's role and be dominant? Who was supposed to hold whom?

"So does this mean that I'm your girlfriend?" Lilly murmured quietly. "And does that make you my boyfriend?"

Miley chuckled. Lilly's humor was a good tension breaker. "I'm pretty sure that we're mutual girlfriends."

Lilly sighed. "Alright, Ms. I-Have-More-Experience-So-I-_Must_-Be-Right. Well, if you ever decide that we need gender roles, I totally call being the girl. You can do all the boy-work like buying me flowers and chocolate," she said, her tone serious.

Shoulders shaking with mirth, Miley shook her head slowly. "Let's not be hasty here. I'll buy chocolate for you, if you buy me flowers?"

"Well what if I want flowers?"

"Then I'll buy you flowers," Miley tilted her head down and kissed Lilly's temple. It was exciting to have Lilly so close and so willing. Katie had been right. This is what she truly wanted.

"See, you're so much better at the boy-work than I'd ever be."

Miley laughed out loud and the two fell into a brief, if comfortable, silence.

Lilly wriggled slightly after a moment, readjusting so she could see Miley's face. "Are we going to tell people?"

"We have to tell Oliver," Miley reasoned. "And I think we should tell our families."

Lilly let her eyes slide shut. She felt entirely too tired. Telling her parents was going to be interesting, to say the least. Her mom was accepting, if she judged their conversation yesterday as anything. She had no idea about her brother or father, considering she saw them so little with them living in Sacramento. She held their opinions in very high regard, and if they had a problem with it, Lilly didn't know what she'd do.

"Do I have to?"

Miley ran a hand through Lilly's hair. "I'd like you to. I'm not going to force you, or anything. And I know this is newer for you than it is for me."

Lilly sighed deeply. It was new for her, but she couldn't deny that it felt right. Her eyes reopened. "I'll try, okay? No promises, though."

"No promises," Miley repeated, agreeing. The fact that Lilly was even willing to think about it was a start.

"Look!" Lilly's attention was suddenly diverted as a particularly bright star rocketed through the sky.

Miley watched it thoughtfully. "It's getting late, Lils."

"Yeah," Lilly sat up slowly, stretching her arms out. A glance down at Miley reaffirmed that the butterflies in her stomach were caused by the other girl. That was all the reassurance she needed that this relationship wasn't going to be a mistake.

"We didn't even touch the hot chocolate," Miley gestured to the now cold beverage.

"I'm sure Jackson'll drink it." Lilly tossed her hand flippantly. Her grin grew wickedly. "You should slip some hot sauce in before you give it to him. Make it real hot chocolate."

"Lilly, if I prank Jackson, do you know what'll happen? I'll wake up with a toilet seat glued to my forehead, or bright blue hair, or my eyebrows shaved off. You don't mess with Jackson unless you're prepared to deal with his consequences."

Lilly's grin only grew. "That sounds like fun…"

Miley didn't like where this was going. "Lilly…"

"I've got to plan," Lilly announced. She was on her feet in a heartbeat.

Reluctantly standing, Miley eyed Lilly for a moment. Was it too soon to give Lilly another kiss? Was she trying to move this too fast? Lilly seemed to be thinking about the same thing. They stared at each other for a few tense moments before Lilly stepped forward.

Her hands found their way to Miley's hips, pulling the taller girl towards her. Easing onto the balls of her feet, Lilly leaned up, kissing Miley hesitantly. Miley's hands flew to cup Lilly's jaw line. It was brief, though, because at that moment the back door opened.

"Oh. Umm…"

The two girls stepped apart a little, and looked at an utterly stunned and speechless Jackson.

"Jackson, umm…" Miley started, only to be cut off by her brother waving his hands frantically.

"All I want to know is did you take the last of the hot chocolate?"

The two girls looked at each other before Lilly broke out in giggles, and Miley wasn't much better as she answered. "Yeah, sorry."

Jackson glared for a moment before turning and going back into the house, grumbling about annoying sisters who took the last bits of everything good.

After Jackson had disappeared, Lilly stepped up to Miley and gave her another soft kiss. "I should get going," she smiled.

"Yeah, you should," Miley replied, stealing a kiss in return.

Fifteen minutes later, as Lilly waved good bye, she was dancing on the inside. Saying yes to Miley was quite possibly the best decision she ever made, if those short kisses were anything to judge by.

Miley collected the hot chocolate and considered Lilly's suggestion a moment. It was looking better and better as the seconds ticked by, she had to admit. Logically speaking, though, pulling a prank on Jackson was like bleeding profusely in front of a great white shark – ill-advised and bound to end badly.

In the end, she dumped the excess liquid down the drain. She wasn't ready to play with fire and she really didn't want to get burned. Lilly, however, was already deep in thought, deciding the best way to anonymously prank Jackson. It had to be big, it had to be great, and it had to be something the older boy wouldn't expect in a million years. Her musings allowed her to avoid thinking about telling her parents about her and Miley.

--


	8. Saddling Up

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 8  
**Saddling Up

_Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway._ _- _John Wayne

--

Monday morning rolled around and Lilly found herself lying awake at five, staring up at the ceiling. Miley was right – trying to keep it from family and friends was bound to be a bad idea – not to mention difficult. Lilly knew she'd hate if someone found out by walking in on them doing something, as Jackson had last night.

A blush painted her cheeks at that thought. Less than a week ago she'd never have thought about 'doing something' with Miley. Now, it was almost desirable, especially with the recurring images of Miley with Katie running through her mind. Lilly ran her hand over her rumpled covers, still slightly uncomfortable with these new thoughts.

"Lilly! Are you up?" Her mother pushed her door open – the Truscotts weren't big on privacy. If a door wasn't locked, it meant that anybody was allowed to come in. It took Miley a while to get used to this when she and Lilly had originally started hanging out.

Lilly groaned quietly but sat up. She nodded slowly, rubbing a finger across her eye to rub the sleep out of it. "Yeah, why?"

"Just making sure you're awake for school."

Lilly stifled a yawn. "Well, I'm up. So leave." She made shooing motions with her hands.

"I want you out the door before I leave for work," her mom replied, leaving the room.

"Fine," Lilly agreed with a tiny grumble.

Lilly pulled herself out of bed, unease bubbling through her stomach. This would be a good time to tell her mom. There was nobody else around and Lilly would have her mom's full attention. If something went wrong, Miley was three doors down.

After showering and dressing, she wandered downstairs into the kitchen and sank into a seat next to her mom, who looked up from her newspaper and smiled lovingly at her daughter. Lilly's hair was still fairly messy – she hadn't taken the time to dry it or brush it out this morning - but she'd at least thought to pull it back into a pony tail. Mrs. Truscott pushed a strand of hair behind Lilly's ear before returning to her paper.

"Mom… can I talk to you?" Lilly started hesitantly, unsure of how to say what she needed to.

"Of course, Lil, you can tell me anything," Ms. Truscott replied, not looking up.

"I don't know how to say it, I guess… Well… I'm seeing someone…" Lilly stated cautiously.

Still her mom didn't look up. "Okay. Was that so hard?"

"That's not the hard part," Lilly muttered.

Ms. Truscott sighed, finally meeting her daughter's gaze. "I wish you just would trust me, Lilly. When have I ever gotten angry at you without a good reason?"

Lilly shrugged, pulling on some gardening gloves. She decided that it was safest to skirt the issue first. "So, you remember the conversation we had on Saturday?"

"About Miley?"

"Yeah… Um… Do you think it's weird?" Lilly asked, trying to lead her mom into stating an opinion on homosexuals.

"Not especially." Mrs. Truscott prided herself on being very open minded when it came to love.

"Not at all?"

"Well, I'm kind of surprised she came out so early in life, considering the pressures of high school and such. But she's always had her own strength. And a lot of that comes from her friends, you know," she said, looking pointedly at her daughter.

Blushing, Lilly inspected the top of the kitchen table and decided to get it over with. "I know Mom… and I think you should know that I'm seeing Miley."

"I had kind of gathered."

"Huh?" Lilly demanded, if unintelligibly. She had expected a fight. She thought that her mom would have had a worse reaction, but now there was nowhere for her built up anxiety to go.

"Lilly, you started this conversation by telling me you were seeing someone, then you started talking about Miley. It doesn't take a genius to put it together."

Lilly blushed slightly. "Oh."

"You told me you'd turned her down. What changed?"

Lilly ducked her head, ashamed. "Seeing Miley with Katie made me… mad. I don't think I've ever been that jealous."

"What about Katie? Miley doesn't seem the kind of person to date two people at once, and I would hope you wouldn't let that happen to you."

"Her parents found out about her and Miley and are shipping her off to Catholic school." Lilly had to admit – having someone to talk to was very nice.

Her mom frowned. "So when did you finally accept?"

"Last night, during the meteor shower. I just couldn't get over how she's making me feel. And I had to know how it felt to, well… to kiss her," Lilly smiled shyly, feeling only slightly uncomfortable talking with her mom about this.

"I'm proud of you, Lil, for telling me, and so quickly, too. I know it was hard," Ms. Truscott murmured, standing to refill her coffee cup. "Do you want a ride to school?" she asked, as she did every morning.

"That would be one thousand, two hundred and seventy-three consecutive no's," Lilly laughed.

Mrs. Truscott laughed lightly. "Of course. Tell Miley hello for me."

Lilly hugged her mom and ran upstairs to grab her bag and head for Miley's. In her rush, she neglected to eat anything before running out of the house, skateboard in one hand. Her stomach was grumbling unhappily when she pulled out her cell and called the Stewart house.

With her Lilly Landing proclaimed, Lilly skateboarded as quickly as she could, carefully avoiding the crack in the cement. She glided easily into the Stewart living room, hopping from her board and throwing her arms into the air.

"And she sticks the landing!"

Miley chuckled. She had thrown the door open and had just closed it. "Hey, Lil."

"I told her," she grinned as she dropped her bag.

"What?" Miley's jaw dropped open slightly.

"My mom. I told her and she was totally cool with it. With us, I mean," Lilly beamed happily. That was one weight off her shoulders. "Now comes the rest of my family."

"I'm glad," Miley slung an arm around Lilly's shoulders. "So, did you give up the silly idea of pranking Jackson?"

Lilly shook her head. "I just have to work through the little details. Would you be willing to help me out?"

Miley hesitated but nodded. Now that Lilly was her girlfriend, she felt the need to help and support Lilly more than usual. Even though she'd probably be the one Jackson wreaked his revenge upon. Lilly cackled quietly, mind churning.

"We're going to need a camera, hair extensions, and make up," Lilly murmured. "Do you think we could get him into a dress while he's sleeping?"

Miley instantly regretted agreeing. "I'm not undressing and redressing my brother."

"We'd only have to take his shirt off, if he's wearing one. Since the picture can be from the waist up."

"Are you sure you want to do this? Because you know this isn't going to end well for me."

"When does Jackson normally wake up?" Lilly seemed to ignore the opposition.

"Well, he doesn't have a class until third period, so I'd say around eight."

Lilly glanced to a clock and grimaced; it was nearing 6:30, and they'd have to leave soon to make it to school on time. They'd have to do it another day.

"Okay… you win – for now," Lilly relented. Pulling pranks was only fun when you had a safety net of time to get away.

"Thank you. Did you want something to eat?" Miley asked, hearing Lilly's stomach complain very loudly.

"Eating. I vote for eating," Lilly rubbed her stomach. "I haven't eaten all morning. And then we can make for the adolescent torture institute."

Miley smiled. "Do you want to stop on the way or have me whip something up?"

Lilly decided quickly, as her stomach was demanding. "You. I don't know if I can wait through anything longer."

They both headed to the kitchen. Lilly took a seat at the island countertop, leaning her chin on the cool surface, while Miley found an apron. She tied it tightly around her waist and turned to show it off to Lilly. It was new and in one of her favorite colors – pink.

Lilly fell off her chair.

Miley was at her side in a millisecond, hesitantly putting her hand on Lilly's forehead. "Are you okay?"

Lilly blushed, sitting up, "It's just… that apron… you were wearing something like it in a dream I had a few nights ago."

"You dreamed about me in an apron?" Miley tried not to smile, not wanting to poke fun at Lilly's unconscious mind, but unable to help it. "Was I wearing anything else?"

Lilly blushed bright red. "Well, yeah," she chuckled lowly. "But I'm hungry now, so no more teasing the poor starved girl."

Laughing, Miley helped Lilly to her feet. The brunette gestured to the kitchen and asked, "What am I making?"

"I'd like some toast."

"Toast. All of my culinary skills and you want toast."

Lilly nodded enthusiastically.

"So have you wished it, so shall it be done," Miley folded her arms on top of each other in front of her body and jerked her head, a la _I Dream of Jeannie_. She dug through a cabinet and pulled out a shiny silver toaster and then followed it up by throwing two pieces of bread into the slots.

"You're amazing," Lilly watched the toaster eagerly. "Do you have cinnamon sugar?"

"We have cinnamon, and we have sugar. As for a combination, you're gonna have to do it yourself." Miley went to the fridge and grabbed the tub of butter. After setting the butter on the counter in front of Lilly, she went to a shelf and sifted through some bottles. While Miley was looking around, Lilly took the distraction to snag an empty bowl. Eventually Miley found the cinnamon and sugar. By the time she had found the hidden toppings, the toast had popped and Lilly was back in her seat buttering it.

"Here ya go," Miley presented the requested topping with a flourish.

"Aren't you eating, too?" Lilly asked a moment before crashing her mouth around the toast hungrily.

"Naw, I had cereal earlier," Miley replied, leaning on the counter. Her fingertips scratched the spotless surface.

"Oh. I'm sorry!" Lilly cried between bites. She didn't want to make Miley wait around for her.

"It's okay." And it was. Miley had no problem providing for Lilly and then settling back to watch the other girl enjoy herself; and Lilly was enjoying that toast a little too much, in Miley's opinion.

"So, how are we going to tell Ollie?" Lilly asked, reaching for the second slice. "We might as well get it out of the way."

Miley grinned – Lilly seemed so much more open and relaxed about things this morning. At that moment Miley really wanted to hug Mrs. Truscott for being so understanding.

"We'll invite him over here and just tell him after school. You just eat that toast." Miley ran up to her room to get her backpack. It took a few moments of searching for it since she'd randomly set it down three days prior. After finding it – it had somehow ended up under her bed – she made her way back to her accident prone girlfriend as quickly as possible.

She was expecting to find the kitchen destroyed – and the blonde did not leave her disappointed. Leaving Lilly unattended was a mess waiting to happen. It wasn't as bad as she feared – somehow the cinnamon and sugar containers had exploded, leaving the sweet dust covering a sheepish Lilly, as well as half the floor.

"Lilly… dare I ask what happened?"

"There was a stampede of mad hamsters! I swear!" Lilly clamored, getting to her feet. Sugar went flying.

Miley bit her lower lip, looking around doubtfully. "Really? Mad hamsters?"

"Yes," Lilly stated confidently. That was her story and she was sticking to it.

"Well, we better clean up or we're going to be late to school." Miley scavenged around, trying to find the broom. Once it was procured, Miley began the lengthy task of cleaning up another of Lilly's messes.

Lilly grabbed a dishcloth, wetting it at the sink. She set to work cleaning the countertops thoroughly. Roughly twenty minutes later the kitchen looked as if the 'mad hamsters' hadn't struck. Miley dusted her hands off, very proud of their hard work. She glanced to Lilly and smiled; Lilly was still covered with the topping.

"Lil, you got a little something," Miley snagged the rag, shaking it out over the sink and rewetting it. She moved closer to the blonde, so their faces were a few inches apart and started gently wiping away the debris. Miley's eyes were watching her actions, making sure to get all the mess up.

Lilly's eyes, though, were fastened on Miley's. She hadn't seen Miley this close up before and hadn't really been able to study the light dusting of freckles over Miley's nose and cheeks. A cold shiver chased down her spine. _That,_ she thought with growing delight, _is mine. All mine._

As she worked, Miley unconsciously moved forward steadily. Soon they were almost nose to nose and Lilly was having trouble breathing.

"Miley…" Lilly murmured breathily. Her eyes slid shut and she started closing the distance.

"Get a room."

The two sprang apart as Jackson walked into the kitchen, grumbling as he made his way to the fridge. Miley glared at him. Without acknowledging her, he poured himself a bowl of cereal and walked to the back door to eat his breakfast outside.

As he neared the door, Lilly tugged on Miley's sleeve and started talking rapidly. "Maybe we should get going. We're running late as it is and –"

Splash!

"MILEY!"

"– I might have left a little present above the door for your brother."

The two girls briefly saw a drenched and angry Jackson running into the house as they ran out, backpacks in tow.

They were still laughing when they reached school. Jake Ryan was waiting at Miley's locker, talking with Oliver, and Lilly gave him a scowl. "Hello boys," Miley said pleasantly, returning the actor's smile as she opened her locker. Lilly was instantly burning with jealousy.

"Hello Stewie," he replied in a fake British accent, raising one eyebrow comically.

Pausing in grabbing her books, Miley looked at him, caught between laughing and calling for a mental health professional. "Stewie? Really? Where did that come from?"

He shrugged and laughed. "I was watching _Family Guy_ and it just kind of flowed from there. So, are we still on for tomorrow?" he asked, his attention vanishing as his gaze followed a girl walking by.

Miley groaned and let her head hit her open locker door. "Crap. I had so much going on this weekend that I completely spaced it. I don't think I'm going to make it."

Lilly was staring at Miley like her heart had been ripped out. "What's going on?" she asked, her voice a little high pitched with frustration.

Miley turned to her and smiled sympathetically. "Jake's making an appearance on Letterman and he thought it would be fun for," she lowered her voice and looked around, "Hannah to show up. I thought it would be fun, because I didn't really have anything else to do." Seeing the hurt look on Lilly's face, Miley laughed. "Don't worry, Lil, he knows I'm…"

"Fruitier than the produce section?" the boy in question supplied helpfully as he winked at a passing girl, causing her to blush furiously. "I love doing that."

Lilly felt very foolish as Miley turned back to Jake. "Yes, thanks," she growled as the bell rang. "I don't think I'll be able to make it. Stuff's come up."

"That's cool. You'll just owe me," he nodded and waved as he ran off to class.

"Victory is mine!" Miley shouted after him, causing Oliver and Lilly to laugh. "Hey, Ollie," she said as they made their way to first period, "Lil and I were going to do some movie watching after school."

"And this concerns me why?" he asked, completely not paying attention as he smiled at a girl and nodded at her like an epileptic chicken.

"We want you to watch with us," she replied, explaining as if she were talking to a two year old.

"Alright, I need to head home right after school, but I'll be over after that," he relented with a groan.

"Yeah, sure," Miley agreed readily. "We'll just pick some movies out. Any requests?"

"Please, no romance movies. It hurts too much," he moaned dramatically.

"Just because _you_ can't get a girlfriend…" Miley huffed. "But fine, I guess we'll manage," she grinned, winking at Lilly, who was hiding a laugh behind her hand.

"Wait a minute here. _I_ can't get a girlfriend?" he stepped in front of Miley, effectively stopping the flow of the crowd, to many loud and annoyed complaints. "Girls are lining up to get on the Ollie Trollie! I could get any girl I wanted!"

"Oliver," she interrupted, "_I've_ had more girlfriends than you recently."

There was a pause before he responded. "You suck."

"Let's go, Ollie. We're going to be late," she laughed

"Yeah," he grumbled, stepping back into the flow of hallway traffic.

The day passed as most days did, but this one was filled with Miley and Lilly sending looks and secret smiles at each other, causing each to wear a dull blush for most of the day. When school let out, they made their way to the Stewart house, parting with Oliver along the way as he promised he'd be over as soon as he could.

The two girls got home and went immediately for the kitchen. Miley started rummaging in the fridge for a snack. Lilly, feeling a little daring, stepped up behind her and put her arms on the other girl's hips and leaned over her. "You know, no one's home right now."

Grinning, Miley continued to poke around around, no longer really looking, just keeping up the pretense. "Really? And why would that be an important fact?"

"Well, your brother interrupted us this morning and I thought that we could maybe pick up where we left off," she said, blushing as the words rolled out.

Miley smiled and stood turning to face her girlfriend. "I suppose something could be arranged," she leaned forward, intending to place her lips on the blonde's.

Unfortunately, Oliver chose that moment to make his entrance. He plowed through the front door, letting his bicycle clatter to the ground just outside. Lilly sprang backwards in surprise, knocking a bowl of fruit off the counter. It fell to the ground and shattered.

"Oh man, I'm so sorry!" She bemoaned her clumsiness.

"It's nothing, Lil. Why don't you pop in a movie? I'll clean this up and get the popcorn ready."

Feeling terrible, Lilly stumbled into the living room, shooting Oliver a dirty look. He gazed back obliviously.

"Smooth going, Truscott," he laughed at her.

"Shut up, Oken," she shot back. "Sit down."

"And here I thought I was wanted," he chuckled, settling down on the massive green monster of a couch.

--


	9. Daddy

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 9  
**Daddy

_A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, and a great deal of it is absolutely fatal. - _Oscar Wilde

--

Miley watched from near the microwave and she had to smile. It was fun watching Lilly try to cover up her embarrassment. When the popcorn was done, she dumped the contents of the bag into a large bowl and trotted over to the couch, settling down between her two friends. Lilly was still trying to glare daggers at Oliver, but her features softened when Miley was next to her.

"So what are we watching first?" Miley asked, grabbing a fistful of popcorn.

"I put the first Saw movie in," Lilly chuckled, glancing at Oliver. Oliver's face had paled considerably.

"I take it back, Miles, a romantic movie is totally fine."

Miley glanced to Lilly, who was still grinning. "Lil, come on… You know he can't deal with the blood."

Lilly's grin faded. Miley reached over, squeezing Lilly's hand gently. "Let's just watch a comedy for now. Middle ground. Everybody agree?"

Oliver nodded and Lilly shrugged, relenting. Miley got up and ejected the disc from the DVD player. After it was tucked back in its case, Miley searched through the many slim cases under the player.

Meanwhile Lilly had gone back to teasing Oliver, though her embarrassment faded. She stuck her tongue out and tilted her nose in the air. He retorted by waggling his fingers by his ears. She reached over to punch his shoulder when Miley returned to her seat. Lilly quickly withdrew.

As the movie played, Lilly slowly worked her hand from her lap ever-so-slowly over to Miley's lap. She covertly laced their fingers together, stealing peeks at Miley from the corner of her eye. Miley's smile greeted her every time. Eventually, she forgot Oliver was even there with them and decided it might be okay to try and sneak in a little kiss.

She scooted her body a little closer on the couch, eyes trained on the television. When she couldn't possibly get any closer without actually being on Miley's lap, she sat quite still, building up her resolve. It was funny – she knew Miley wouldn't reject her, but her nerves were jangling. Finally she finished her mission, catching the side of Miley's mouth in a nervous kiss. That was when she spotted Oliver – and when he spotted her.

"Finally!" he yelled, interrupting the movie. "I mean, you two have been dancing around for years!"

Lilly blushed. "It so hasn't been years, doughnut."

Miley squeezed her hand. "We know you're okay with this, right?"

He shrugged. "Well, yeah, duh. Just make sure you leave some time for me, okay?"

Miley smiled at him. "We will."

Oliver turned his attention back to the television. If he'd had a problem with his two best friends dating, he would have mentioned much earlier, before Miley had spent the effort confessing. To him, as long as they were happy, he was happy. He just wished _he_ could get a girlfriend. His two female best friends found girlfriends – granted they were dating each other – and he was still single. It was some cosmic joke, he decided.

"Wait," he said, interrupting the movie again and turning to Miley. "What happened to Katie?"

Miley explained everything that had happened over the weekend. The way his face changed emotions was comical enough to keep Miley from tearing up again, but she knew that she didn't really want to tell the story again. Just thinking about it was hard. She really had liked Katie, after all.

If there was any tension in the room between Lilly and Oliver, it had completely dissipated. Lilly was feeling much better now that she was two for two in the realms of coming out. So that was two down, two to go. Well, two and a half down, if you included Jackson. Her happy mood plummeted slightly; it was going to be hard telling her dad and brother. She was a daddy's girl, she'd easily admit that. And Will had taught her everything from how to tie her shoes to how to skateboard.

Her mind stayed occupied even as the credits rolled and Miley shook her gently. "Lil, you okay?"

Lilly blinked owlishly. "Oh, yeah. I'm good."

"Are you coming?" Oliver asked, standing by the back door. Obviously Miley and he had made some plans while she was spacing out.

"Yeah… where are we going again?" Lilly got up, following her two friends as they headed outside.

Miley laughed quietly. "Where were you? We're going down to Rico's for ice cream."

Lilly shrugged, indifferent. "I was there. Watching… um, what were we watching?"

"Dodgeball." Oliver supplied.

"Right. Dodgeball." Lilly responded.

Miley linked arms with her. "Lils, hon, we were watching Wedding Crashers."

Oliver guffawed loudly. "I can't believe you fell for that!"

"And I can't believe you'll never have children." Lilly threatened.

"What?" Oliver narrowed his eyebrows, confused. "When did that happen?"

"In about ten seconds," Lilly pulled her leg back threateningly. That effectively cut off Oliver's laughs.

"Not funny," Oliver grumbled, crossing his legs protectively.

"Are you two done?" Miley asked, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Yeah, yeah." Lilly started walking quickly, pulling Miley along for the ride. Miley fell into pace beside her and Oliver had to run to catch up.

Down at Rico's, Jackson was fiddling with the hotdog maker. It was under-cooking the sausages and his customers were not happy. Almost all of them were demanding their money back and he really didn't want Rico to find out. Unfortunately, the cooker went haywire, spewing sparks and forcing Jackson to admit defeat. He went to the cash register and popped it open.

As Jackson started refunding the money, the dark-haired boy who reigned over the food stand suddenly popped up at the counter, eyes narrowed.

"I don't think I authorized this, Jackson," he stated, raising an eyebrow.

"Look, Rico, it's not my fault. Fix the darn machine and I won't have to do it."

Rico glanced at the dangerous electric equipment. "Sabotage! Somebody is trying to wreck my sales. Jackson, I think I need to start interrogating my employees. I need to find the spy."

Jackson stared at him, wondering if Rico actually heard the words he was saying. "Um, boss, I'm your only employee."

"Then you must be the spy." Rico pounded a fist into his open hand. "Nobody wrongs Rico and gets away with it. Jackson! You're fired!"

"Rico! Come on! It's just broken. Call a handy-man, use the warranty to get a new one! You don't need to fire me, come on…" Jackson begged, "I need this job. Without it, I don't have money. Without money, I don't have dates!"

Rico considered the plea. "I'll think about it."

"Good man, Rico. You're giving the women a great gift by keeping me on."

Miley tapped the counter, getting Jackson's attention. "Hey, Jackson, how about a little service?"

"One minute, Miles, I might not have to." Jackson eyed Rico. "So?"

Rico waved his hand noncommittally. "We'll talk later."

Jackson grimaced, turning to his customers. "What?"

"Three ice creams, please," Miley requested, "and some napkins."

Rico stared at her. "One per customer, thanks."

Jackson glared at his mini-boss and handed his sister the ice creams. The crowd around the shack had cleared off after receiving their money, so the sand was pretty deserted. Oliver claimed an empty table, dripping water everywhere. When Miley and Lilly were gone as well, Jackson leaned down on the counter, fully prepared to beg for his job.

"Come on, Rico. What's it going to take?"

Rico rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I don't know."

"I could tell you a secret," Jackson tried. He doubted Rico would give in, but it was worth the minimal effort.

"Is it good?" Rico's interested had been piqued.

"It's more than good. It's juicy." Jackson nodded, glancing over at his sister enjoying her ice cream. This would be the perfect revenge for the prank this morning.

"I'm listening."

Jackson ran fingers across his lips, zipping them shut. "Not until you promise my job is secure."

"Yeah, yeah, spill."

"Well, Miley and Lilly are dating."

Rico raised an eyebrow thoughtfully and turned his attention towards the three ice cream eaters. "Prove it."

"Won't you just take my word for it?"

"I don't believe you," Rico shook his head. "You selling out your own family just doesn't fit."

Jackson glanced nervously at his sister. "Well, watch 'em for a while. They're bound to do something. Rico, this is my job we're talking about."

Rico sighed, "They've got two hours until I have to go. If something happens, you get to keep your job."

Jackson pumped a fist in the air. Two hours could be a long time. One of them just had to do something. He thought it was lucky that the beach had been practically abandoned after his under-cooked hot dogs. He was saved – for now.

Miley licked her ice cream, oblivious to her brother's employment plight. She was sitting so that her leg barely brushed against Lilly's under the table. Passersby wouldn't see it, but she could feel it and that was enough. Oliver was already halfway through eating his cone, ice cream painted on his nose, lips, and chin. Out of the corner of his eye, he was watching Lilly – waiting for the perfect time to strike. Lilly had just lifted the cone to her mouth, not quite eating yet when he struck.

Throwing his arm past her face, he pointed to something in the distance, smashing his arm into the cone, cramming it onto her nose.

"Look! Naked cheerleaders!"

Lilly pushed his arm, cone still on her nose. "Hah hah, very funny."

She got up, threatening him with a deadly gaze. It took less than a second for him to make a break for it, his chair falling backwards into the sand. She was about to give chase when Miley grabbed her wrist. Lilly yanked the cone free, ice cream sliding down her face.

"Lil, he'll be back."

"But he ruined my ice cream," Lilly pouted, staring at her messy cone. "I mean, some of that's been up my nose."

"Want me to buy you a new one?" Miley questioned. Her tone suggested minor annoyance, but that was the furthest emotion from her current mood. However awkward they were, Lilly and she were a couple. Finally. She was pretty sure nothing could ruin her mood.

Rico moved closer, pretending to be searching the sand for something. In reality, though, he was listening carefully to every word the two exchanged. He sensed there was something up between the two.

"No, thanks," Lilly shook her head, still feeling like being silly. She reached over and grabbed Miley's cone, attempting to steal it. "I'll just take yours."

"Lilly!" Miley tried to bat Lilly's hand away. "Come on! I'll get you a new one!"

Lilly stopped struggling, glancing around. Because Rico was close to the ground, she didn't see him and assumed there was nobody nearby other than Jackson. "Come on, Miles, just this once? For your girlfriend?"

Miley gave in instantly. "That's not fair."

Lilly shrugged, happily licking her new ice cream. "All's fair in love and war."

Rico crawled away, a devilish smirk adorning his face. Now all he had to do was a little planning to decide how best to extort this little secret. When Jackson saw the look on his boss's face, he felt instantly bad for doing that to Miley. He knew things weren't going to turn out well for him.

--

Eventually Oliver came back. He eyed Lilly suspiciously but Lilly barely noticed him. The ice cream was long since gone and she and Miley had been lounging at the table waiting.

"Truce Lilly?"

"Yeah," Lilly reached over, hand open.

"Thanks," he smiled and shook her hand, only to jerk his hand away suddenly. "Ew! What is that?"

She chuckled – his hand, and hers for that matter, was dripping with melted ice cream. "Just a surprise, that's all."

"I thought we truced!"

"We did. After I creamed you."

Oliver sighed, defeated. "Can we just go hang on the beach now?"

Miley shrugged. "Lilly and I aren't really dressed for beach-going."

"So change," Oliver rolled his eyes. Girls made things too difficult.

"No!" Lilly cried. "We can just roll our pants up or something."

Miley smiled. "If you guys want."

The rest of the afternoon managed to pass with Lilly and Oliver's truce intact. The three of them had fun splashing about in the shallow water. Despite efforts to stay dry, both Miley and Lilly got soaked through – Oliver decided it would be fun to start a splash war. What he hadn't counted on was Miley and Lilly teaming up. By the time they had stumbled from the water Oliver looked like a wet rat. His hair lay pressed up against his cheeks and plastered on his neck. Grumbling he bid the two good bye, heading home to knock the sand out of his shorts.

When he was gone, Miley walked Lilly up to Lilly's front door. Again, their parting was slightly awkward. Miley knew that giving Lilly a small kiss was dangerous if Lilly hadn't told anybody but her mom. They settled on a tight hug.

Lilly trudged inside just before dinnertime, wet but utterly cheerful. It was good to know that she, Miley, and Oliver could hang around like nothing had changed. And maybe, she thought, nothing really had. So far all that was different between her and Miley was the kissing, and the hand holding, and the brushes up against each other.

Okay, Lilly reasoned, so things had changed. But she had to admit, they were for the better.

"Mom! I'm home!" She hollered, standing in the doorway, dripping.

"So come inside!" her mom yelled back.

"Can't! Soggy and wet!"

A towel came flying at her face; she ducked and it whapped the wall behind her. Grabbing it, she scowled at her older brother.

"Will!" she yelled as she ran after him, forgetting that she was splattering sand and water with every step. In the middle of the kitchen she realized that her father was staring at her so she screeched to a halt. "What? He threw a towel at me."

"And you didn't use it?" He asked, taking in her wet clothes and hair.

Her face immediately heated up. "I just… Um… Hi Dad. What are you doing here?"

"Your mother has to leave on a business trip, and seeing that I don't have to work tomorrow, I brought Will down from Sacramento to stay with you. Now, why don't you go change before dinner?"

"Yeah, will do." She shook a fist at Will who, at this point, was seated at his place at the table, smiling innocently.

Dinner went well enough. Her parents had been divorced long enough that there was no strange, lingering tension. They were actually very good friends now, they just couldn't stand living together. Her father talked a little about his job, the people around the office, and about clients. Will spoke very little; he wasn't the talkative type. Her mother had begun to clear away the dishes when Lilly stood up. She had been preparing for this the entire meal but just looking at her father's confused face made her knees quail.

"Dad, Will, I have something to tell you."

Her mother dropped a knife to the glass top table, attracting Lilly's attention. She gave a barely perceptibly negative shake of her head before continuing over to the sink. Lilly didn't take it to heart. She knew her dad would love her, no matter what, and that Will would too.

"What is it, Lil?" Mr. Truscott stared at her, wearing very little of his emotion on his sleeve.

"I…" she took another deep breath, deciding last minute that telling them the same way she told her mom was probably safe. "I'm in a relationship."

Mr. Truscott chuckled softly. "Well who is he? I'm going to have a talk with that boy."

"Um, really that's kind of the thing, daddy. I'm not dating a boy."

Silence descended on the table and Lilly was sure that her heart stopped for a few moments. Eventually Will looked up at her. "So, what? Are you dating a goat? 'Cause that's just creepy Lil." Their mother hit him on the back of the head lightly, telling him to shut up.

Lilly gazed expectantly at her father, who sat there with a blank face. He seemed shell-shocked.

Without a word, he got up from the table and exited the room. Lilly stared at his empty seat, eyes filling with tears. What was going on here?

"Lilly, go to your room," her mother commanded gently, patting Lilly on the shoulder. Lilly wandered aimlessly towards the destination, mind still processing her father's reaction. Had he… rejected her?

Mr. Truscott thought he'd done a good job with his kids. Sure, he hadn't been there all the time, since he did have to work. But even though they were divorced, he thought he and his wife had given both kids a good set of values and a working sense of morality. To have his daughter say she was… he shook his head.

His ex-wife followed him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Ed, talk to me."

"Talk to you? About what, exactly? The fact that our daughter's obviously out of her mind, or that what she's doing is wrong!?" he asked, his volume elevating as he spoke. From her room, Lilly could hear every word her parents said.

"What is wrong with it?"

"Are you joking?" he yelled, staring at her incredulously. "We taught her better than this, Heather."

"This isn't wrong," her mother countered. "It's just different. There is nothing wrong with being in love."

Ed stood there, grinding his teeth quietly. "There is when it's morally disgusting."

WHAP!

Lilly heard the sound from her room, but it took a moment for her to realize what had happened. Her mother had slapped him.

"Don't you _ever_ call our daughter disgusting again," she growled, poking him in the chest.

There was a long silence after she spoke.

"I'm going to talk to Lilly."

"No, you're not. You need to leave before you cause her any more grief."

"I can talk to my own daughter!"

"Not when you're being an insensitive and ridiculous ass! Now get the hell out of my house!"

Lilly found her way to her bed, sitting down on the edge and staring at the opposite wall. A few seconds later her door opened and Will entered. He looked as if he wanted to puke.

"Lil," he started, managing to keep his voice level. "I… I'm sorry about dad. He's just… a little close-minded."

"I never would have guessed," she muttered, her sarcasm jumping in to defend her heart.

"Don't talk to me like that, Lil," he responded, a little hurt as he came to sit next to her on the bed. "I'm trying to be the supportive older brother here, but if you want to be a bitch, than go ahead and sulk."

"I'm sorry, Will," she murmured, her heart breaking a little more.

He shook his head, trying to get some order to his thoughts, but only managed to repeat himself. "So, who's the lucky girl?"

Lilly felt a few tears leak free from her eyes, but she wiped them away quickly. "It doesn't matter."

"Lilly, you're my sister and I want you happy. If dating a girl makes you happy, then screw dad and be happy," he stated earnestly, then grinned. "Think I can say happy a few more times? Happy happy happy." When she didn't laugh, he grew serious again. "Don't go doing something stupid because of what he said. You'll just end up hating yourself because of it."

"Okay," she lied, the last pieces of her heart falling to the ground with a 'clink.' She already knew what she had to do. What she was going to do to get her daddy to love her again; to make her not so disgusting.

Will hugged Lilly tightly, kissing the crown of her head. "It'll be okay, Lil. It'll be okay."

As she lay down to sleep that night, Lilly tried not to think about the next morning. She'd have to put her foot down, stay strong, and tell Miley that it was all a mistake, that it couldn't go on. She cried herself to sleep.

--


	10. Personal Happiness

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 10  
**Personal Happiness

_Mistakes are the portals of discovery._ _- _James Joyce

--

Tuesday mornings, on their own, were depressing. They didn't have the bitter panache of Mondays, with all their beginning of the week evilness, but they were quite horrid in their own right. This particular Tuesday, however, was killing Lilly more than usual. She had ditched walking to school with Miley, which she knew was a bad idea, but she couldn't face her soon-to-be-ex girlfriend yet.

Fifteen minutes before first period, Miley approached her. Anger was evident on Miley's face, but it was shadowed by confusion.

"Lilly, where were you?" Miley asked, her voice laced with concern. Reaching out slightly, she tried to touch Lilly's arm. The blonde jerked away as if Miley was burning metal.

"We have to talk," Lilly muttered out of the side of her mouth.

"About what? What happened? Why are you acting like this?" Miley was even more confused now. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No, but I did. Miley, I'm sorry I led you on, but I can't do this. Whatever it was we had… well, we don't have it anymore." Lilly tried to put an apologetic smile on her face, but it came out as a strained grimace. She walked away, leaving Miley speechless and frozen in shock.

"Lilly…" Breathing suddenly became very difficult. She'd just been dumped by her best friend for no apparent reason. Now she'd have to go through the school day with a fake smile, all the while wondering what had happened.

"Hey, airhead," Rico slid up beside her. "Got a minute?"

"No," she gasped, unable to focus.

"It's actually important," he insisted. "I know about you and Lilly but nobody else does. If you want to keep it that way—"

The short boy's eyes widened considerably when Miley grabbed him by the front of his shirt and slammed him against the lockers, holding him slightly off the ground. "There is no Lilly and me," Miley growled, her anger at the situation boiling quickly. She wasn't sure if this was her covering the relationship or just the dead truth at the moment.

"Look, I saw you at the beach with her. I heard you two talking," he rattled on, slightly afraid at the look in her eyes, but, being Rico, unable to back down.

"That was nothing, so just drop it? Okay?" Miley didn't wait to hear his answer – she dropped him and ran off in the direction of the girl's bathroom, her anger passing as despair overwhelmed her.

When Miley didn't show up to first period, Lilly didn't bat an eye. It was to be expected, she told herself. If she hadn't numbed herself to it already, Lilly knew she'd be in an empty stall sobbing her heart out, too. Oliver, though, was curious and nosy.

"Where's Miley?" he whispered while the teacher's back was turned.

"Don't know, don't care," she whispered back.

He paused a moment before narrowing his eyes. "What did you do to her?"

"Nothing."

"I'll find out the truth from Miley, y'know."

"Then find her and ask. I don't really care," Lilly murmured, eyes fixed on the front of the room. She wished Oliver would just drop it.

Her wish came true; he eased back in his chair with a thoughtful look on his face. Something was telling him that Miley needed his help and that something big had happened between Miley and Lilly. He shook his head quickly, bouncing his hair all around. _No,_ he thought, _there's nothing wrong. I'm just looking too closely at this._

Miley did show up to her second period class, grateful that Lilly wasn't in it. She spent the entire period silent, face blank. She knew that if she smiled, it wouldn't look right, and if she frowned, her face would drown in the tears she was holding off.

"Miss Stewart, do you have an answer?" The teacher called from the front of the room, obviously trying to catch her off guard.

It worked. "No, I'm sorry."

Sensing that Miley wasn't feeling too well, the teacher nodded once. "Don't let it happen again."

Miley wanted to melt into her seat. In her mind she kept replaying the scene from earlier. Lilly had given no indication as to why she wanted to break up. There were a few reasons, as far as Miley could figure out. Maybe Miley had moved too fast. Sure, it was only a few kisses and a brief touch here and there, but this was still new to Lilly. Maybe those little things weren't so little to her.

Or maybe Lilly realized that she was just trying to like Miley so that Miley would be happy. It felt logical enough – Lilly generally was concerned when Miley wasn't content, so it would make sense that she would try to help. Maybe Lilly couldn't lie to herself anymore.

Whatever the reason, Miley felt like her life had hit rock bottom. She'd been terrified of losing Lilly from the start and now that nightmare was reality.

--

The rest of the school day was a blur. Miley was vaguely aware of her surroundings as she switched classes, ate lunch, and went to her locker. She was acutely aware that Lilly was avoiding being anywhere near her, not that she could blame her. Miley would try to avoid someone she had just broken up with, too.

She grew slightly aware of Oliver's concern for her, especially when he cornered her between periods, narrowing his eyes.

"You're going to tell me what happened."

She tried to focus on him, but found even that hard. "What? Oh… I… It's just… why don't you ask Lilly?" she finished with a sigh, trying to push past him.

He stuck his arm out and grabbed her. "I tried. She said to ask you."

Miley fell silent. Actually saying it out loud would feel like she was finalizing the event, accepting that it had, in fact, happened. Oliver waited patiently, ignoring the bell ringing. He sensed that Miley needed something right now, and he hoped to provide her at least a willing ear.

The tears began falling before she even opened her mouth. "Ollie, she dumped me," she whispered, struggling to stay composed.

Suddenly it made more sense to Oliver. Why Lilly was so closed off, why Miley wasn't in first period, and, most of all, why Miley was so distraught. "Did she say why?"

"No," Miley shrugged her shoulders, eyes dropping to the ground. "I just can't figure it out," she sobbed, finally losing her control.

"Shh," Oliver whispered, gathering the brunette in his arms. She shook uncontrollably, and it broke his heart to see her hurting so badly. Shaking his head slowly, he tried to come up with a reason for Lilly's behavior. "Look, I'll talk to her, okay? See if I can't sort this out."

"Would you?" Miley sniffled from his shirt. "If you can fix this…"

"Just relax. Things'll get better," Oliver promised, setting his hands on her shoulders. "Come on, we're already late to class."

She managed to give him a small smile as she wiped away her tears. "Thanks Oliver."

"What're friends for? And besides, it's a man's job to look out for the ladies," he puffed out his chest for effect.

"Oliver…" Miley chuckled.

After school, Lilly grabbed her skateboard, fully intent on leaving without as much as a good bye to Oliver or Miley. Her plans were derailed, though, when Oliver grabbed her arm and jerked her off her skateboard before she even got going.

"Why would you do that?" he demanded quietly, letting go of her arm.

"Do what?" she pretended not to know, though it wasn't difficult to figure out what he was talking about.

"Don't act stupid with me, Lilly. You know exactly what," Oliver returned angrily. He had been careful to stage this confrontation where nobody was around to hear it.

"I just don't want to date her," she muttered, not making eye contact.

"Stop it," he snapped, causing her eyes to snap to him. She had rarely ever heard him so angry. "Why are lying to me?" he pressed again.

Finally relenting, she looked around to make sure no one was around. "You have to promise to keep your big mouth shut, got it?" she glared at him.

"Yeah," he nodded, even as he began planning ways around that promise.

Lilly turned away and began walking. "I just wanted to," she spat, having seen the wheels turning in her oldest friend's eyes.

"Lilly, listen to me!" he yelled, grabbing her arm again and spinning her back to him. "Unless you have a reason – _any_ reason – all you're doing is killing one of your best friends!" he tried, hoping to knock some sense into her. "Did you see her today? She was a zombie, and not like the ones from Zombie High, the ones that look really real, and there was no Jake Ryan to keep her from the bathroom stall…"

Lilly stared at him as if he'd grown three heads. "Oliver, I don't know what you're talking about. She looked fine to me."

"I don't believe that for a second."

Face unreadable, Lilly stared him down. He saw the tears welling up in her eyes, though, and her façade cracked quickly. "It hurts me, too," she almost sobbed, stepping away from him.

"Then why'd you do it?"

"You wouldn't understand," Lilly persisted, wrapping her arms around herself protectively.

"Try me." His previous concern for Miley had been overshadowed now by a concern for Lilly.

One minute, and then two, passed in silence, with only the distant sounds of students fleeing from school intervening. "It's my dad," Lilly murmured at last. "He wasn't as cool about this as my mom was."

"You hurt Miley this badly over something your dad said?" Oliver was amazed.

"I knew you wouldn't understand," Lilly cried, shaking her head violently. "He was disgusted with me! My own father said that I… that I was…" she trailed off as her tears overwhelmed her, and she sank to the floor, unable to stay standing under the strain of the past day.

"Lilly, I'm going to tell you now what I learned from the pages of the esteemed publication Seventeen magazine," he started, sitting on the floor next to her and pulling a distraught female into his arms for the second time that day. He thought it had to be some kind of record for him. "You can't let your friends or your family make your choices for you. Your happiness is dependent on what _you_ want. You can't spend your life trying to make other people happy."

Lilly sniffled as she laughed. "Wow, Oliver, very Zen. Those magazines are really doing you some good."

"I know. It'll help when I get a girlfriend," he stated proudly. And besides, some of those articles were really interesting.

"What am I supposed to do? I don't want to hurt Miley, but I don't want my dad upset, either." Lilly felt stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"I can't tell you what to do," Oliver replied, sighing. "Do you like Miley?"

"Yeah," Lilly answered. It was at that moment that she truly felt bad for doing this. Instead of feeling worse, though, she began to feel angry. Her father should want her to be happy, regardless of who it was with. "I need to fix this," she stated, climbing to her feet.

"I wouldn't talk to Miley just yet," Ollie cautioned, following her ascent. "She's still pretty upset. I'd give her a little while to get herself in order."

"Thank you, Oliver," Lilly whispered as she bear-hugged him. "Thank you for stopping me from making the biggest mistake in my life."

"So far."

The hug turned into a shove.

"And you just ruined the moment."

He grinned for a moment before turning serious again. "So what's next?"

"Talking to Dad." Lilly took her helmet off and picked up her skateboard. "Can you tell me when Miley's ready to talk?"

Oliver smiled, grateful he was at least able to get things on the road to recovery. "Yeah."

--

"Will, can you drive me to Dad's?"

Her brother stared at her for a moment in shock. He had been laying on his bed, reading a magazine when Lilly had burst in, completely unannounced and unexpected. "Um, sure, I guess. That's not exactly a short drive, you know. Why the hell do you want to talk to him, anyway?" he asked, confused.

"Because I need to tell him he's wrong, and that he's wrong about me."

Will shrugged and led the way downstairs, grabbing their mother's car keys before leading them to the relatively new Camry.

Buckling her seatbelt as he pulled out, Lilly stared out the window in silence for the next six and a half hours. As they drove, she started sorting through the thoughts in her head. When they got to her dad's, she'd be ready. Talking with Oliver had reawakened her strong sense of pride and she had a few choice things to tell her dad. Sooner than she thought, Will was shaking her awake, telling her they were there. Yawning, she looked at the clock. It was almost eleven. She got out of the car, shutting the door behind her, and followed Will through the front door and into the living room. She hadn't visited her dad since school had started, but she was supposed to be spending the upcoming Thanksgiving break here. She was not looking forward to it.

"Who's there?" her dad yelled from upstairs as he came into view.

Will waved as he walked off into the kitchen. "Just me and Lil, Dad."

Confused, he stared over the banister at her. "What are you doing here? Is everything okay? What happened?" He asked, rushing down to her in worried parent mode.

"Dad, we need to talk."

He looked into her face and the worry slid off to be replaced by a cold fury. "Very well," he said, leading them into the kitchen after Will. "Alright," he sighed as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "What's on your mind?"

Taking a deep breath and summoning her courage, she laid into her father. "Dad, I refuse to believe that I'm doing something wrong. Something… disgusting," she spat the last word, throwing all the hurt it had caused right back at him. "I know you don't like it, but I am… I can't help this, dad. I have never felt this way about anyone. And I was in a relationship with Miley, but because I thought you wanted the best for me, I listened to you, like an idiot. I broke up with her because I really thought that you wanted me to be happy."

"Lilly, I do want you to be happy," he interjected.

"If you did, you'd let me be happy with her. I was the happiest I've been in a long time. I just… I can't understand why you'd try and hurt me like that. I've felt horrible all day today because of you. I've made myself _sick_ with worry about what you think, and how Miley is, and how awful this entire situation is. And Miley's felt even worse, because she can't understand it," Lilly accused. "So you've either got to learn to accept me, as I am, or…"

She shrugged helplessly. Or what?

"Dad, listen to her," her brother entered the conversation. "She really hasn't done anything wrong."

Her father glanced between his two children, his face settling into a fierce scowl. "I'm sorry. I can't accept this," he stated, climbing to his feet and leaving the room.

Lilly broke into tears. Turning to her brother, she flung her arms around his neck and cried.

Shushing her and rubbing her back gently, her brother tried to reassure her. "He just needs time, Lilly. Let's get going."

She barely nodded, clinging to the elder Truscott for dear life.

--

While Lilly was merging onto the I-5N to Sacramento, Miley sat on the steps in her closet, thinking. Her closet was one of the few places she knew she wouldn't be bothered. If she was there, the only people who would find her were those closest to her.

She wouldn't lose Lilly after only one day of dating. Lilly just had to give her a chance to prove herself. One day wasn't enough. She stared around the room, planning. What she needed was somewhere that Lilly wouldn't feel pressured or anxious; somewhere they could talk without being overheard. Thoughts started bubbling in her head and she smiled for the first time that day. She needed Oliver.

Stretching her legs, she trotted downstairs. She made a pit stop in the kitchen, snagging an apple. Before she could get out of the house, though, she was stopped by Jackson, who looked awfully worried.

"Hey, Miles… How was school?"

"Do you remember how Uncle Earl smelled just before his weekly bath?" Miley asked.

"That bad, huh?" he blocked the door, keeping her inside. "Anything interesting happen?"

"I guess. Lilly dumped me," she muttered.

"Oh, Miles, I'm sorry," he said, pulling her into a hug. "Rico didn't have anything to do with it, did he?"

"Jackson… what's that supposed to mean?"

"Umm… nothing," he gulped loudly, stepping back. His previous statement wasn't supposed to be spoken. He really had to watch what he was thinking when his lips were feeling loose.

"Do you want me to get Daddy?"

"Ok, ok! So I might have let it slip, possibly, that you and Lilly were in a relationship. He tricked me, I swear!"

"So that's what he was talking about this morning. Look, Jackson, I don't like that you mentioned it before Lilly and I were ready to tell people, but that's not why she got upset," Miley reasoned. "I mean, he hasn't told anybody, yet. So Lilly wouldn't know that someone knew."

"Um, sure?" Jackson was having trouble following the logic.

"Look, I've got to go. Don't think I'm letting you off the hook, Jerkson," she pointed a finger and jabbed him in the chest before walking past him. "But don't feel too bad. I don't hate you completely."

Oliver's house was further than Lilly's, but not far enough to be a problem. She just hoped he was home, she hadn't thought to call ahead. Luck was with her – she knocked three times on the door and it swung open, revealing Oliver with a phone pressed to his ear. He promptly hung up when he saw her.

"Miley! I was just calling your house. I think you'll be happy."

"I already am. I'm getting Lilly back whether she wants it or not." Miley stated and then paused. There was something off about that statement. "Well, if she doesn't want it, I'll convince her."

"She's actually trying to make it up to you now." Oliver put in, gesturing that Miley should step into the house. She did so with a small smile.

"Did she really say that?"

"I promised her I wouldn't give you any details, but yeah. She feels bad about the whole thing."

"Okay, but I have a plan, and you've got to help me, Ollie." Miley grabbed his arm, face dead serious. "I'm going to avoid her tomorrow at school. It's your job to make sure she doesn't talk to me and then later, get her to my house."

Oliver grinned, running a hand through his hair. "Sounds like a plan, Stan. Can I get you something to drink? Eat?"

"I would kill for a water."

"Violence is never the answer," Oliver joked as he headed for the kitchen and grabbed a glass.

Miley accepted the water gratefully when he returned moments later. "Are you sure you can't tell me what has Lilly so worked up?"

"A promise is a promise," Oliver responded rather reluctantly. "Don't be mad at her, though. It was a good reason, especially considering how new she is to, well, all of this. It kind of caused her to go into a meltdown. She realizes she was wrong, though, and that's the important thing."

"Was it something I did? Something I said?"

"No… not at all. She did ask that you two make out in front of me while I'm video taping, though," he beamed innocently.

"Oliver."

"What? It was a joke."

"Uh-huh," she nudged him roughly with her elbow. "Thanks for being there for us. I know it's not easy."

"I consider this life training. Someday I too shall have a moody woman. And when that day comes, I'll be prepared."

"Oliver."

"What? It was a joke!"

--


	11. The Set Up

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 11  
**The Set Up

_Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth._ - Oscar Wilde

--

At school the next day Miley kept her distance, only meeting Lilly's eyes when it was absolutely necessary. Her behavior was driven by two things. A small part of her, childishly, wanted Lilly to understand exactly how Miley had felt the day before – sad, confused, and horribly lonely. The other force behind her was her surprise for Lilly that night, and for it to be perfect.

Around fifth period, Rico pulled her aside. "I don't know what you're trying to pull. But I know something's going on. So either you do what I say or I tell the school about your little fling."

"There was no little fling, Rico," Miley insisted. And this, she felt, was the truth. It wasn't a fling. It was a deep relationship that didn't have time to flourish.

Rico's gaze, which had started as fairly affable, hardened. "You have until next week to decide. Do me a few favors or have the school all up in your business."

Miley pushed him away. "Move, half-pint."

While he scowled darkly she moved down the hall, eager to get to class and away from him. It was unsettling that someone so small could be so menacing. He had a serious Napoleon complex. At the moment there was nothing she could do. She knew that Lilly hadn't even wanted to tell her family at first, so having an open relationship was completely out of the question.

If Lilly came back, this was something they'd have to talk about. It would be a hard decision; doing things for Rico was bound to be annoying and frustrating, but having their relationship made public could be worse.

Miley cleared her mind of these thoughts, determined not to worry until Lilly came over that evening. She set a vaguely happy smile on her lips, though her heart wouldn't truly feel happy until she and Lilly were back together, and finished her school day.

Lilly was going nuts – in between the naps she was catching on her desk. She and her brother had gotten back to their mom's at five, and, while Lilly had slept in the car, she was still exhausted. To make things worse, Oliver had said Miley wasn't ready. That was painfully obvious as the day continued and Miley avoided looking at her, standing near her, talking to her, or doing anything that remotely involved her. She tried to stay calm and rational. She knew Miley had every right to blow her off after what had happened the day before. It wasn't exactly a reassuring thought.

"Why am I such a screw up…" Her face was plastered on a desk, waiting for the last bell that let school out. She had spoken under her breath but it was loud enough for Oliver to perk up.

"What?" he leaned in closer, cupping a hand around his ear.

"Nothing," she barely moved as he drew closer still. "Back off, Oliver."

"Somebody's not feeling peppy today," he knew he was being inconsiderate but in the long run it wouldn't matter. By the end of the evening Lilly and Miley would be back together, he would be in the clear.

The bell rang, interrupting their conversation. Peeling her face off the desktop, Lilly wandered listlessly down the hall. Oliver kept pace with her, making sure she didn't run into any trashcans or poles. As a listless wanderer Lilly seemed to have incredibly bad vision.

"Why can't you let me sulk?" she groaned as Oliver jerked her aside before she toppled into a janitor's cart. "Or better yet help me think up a way to get Miley back…"

Oliver nearly cackled. Things were working perfectly. "Listen, I've been thinking. Miley's going to be alone at home tonight. You could go and surprise her there. You just need to look nice, maybe buy her some flowers, or something."

"I'm not going…" Lilly muttered, wallowing in her self-pity. "She doesn't want to see me."

"Are you stupid?" Oliver asked quite seriously.

"No," Lilly shot back. This conversation was turning offensive.

"Are you blind?"

"No?" From offensive to confusing in under ten seconds – Lilly was sure that was a record.

"Miley really likes you, Lil. If you're there, she's happy. You just have to show up, smile, get on your knees and beg for forgiveness."

Lilly sighed. "You make it sound so easy."

"That sounds easy?" Oliver wondered aloud.

"Thanks for the confidence booster," she muttered sarcastically.

"No problem, Lillster." They were at Lilly's locker when they parted ways. "Just go see her, okay?"

"Fine," she gave in.

--

After school, she headed home to dig through her closet and find something suitable to wear. She knew she'd need a nice pair of blue jeans and a blouse of some sort. The jeans were the easy part, but finding the perfect top took some time. Laying her outfit out on her bed, she turned her attention to her empty wallet – that was a problem.

"Will!" She hunted around the house for her brother, finally finding the older sibling out in the garage. "Will?"

Her brother looked up; he was crouched in front of the lawnmower and his hands were exceedingly dirty. "What's up, brat?"

"I was wondering if I could borrow a little money…"

"Yeah, because _I_ have money to spare," he rolled his eyes sarcastically, turning his attention back to the broken lawnmower.

Lilly kicked the ground in frustration, blushing slightly. "I wanted to get some flowers for Miley."

"Oh? And why should I contribute to your girlfriend fund?" Will got to his feet, wiping his hands on a nearby rag.

"Because I'm your favorite sister and I'll… mow the lawn when you get the mower fixed," she beamed, hoping her bright smile would blind him into submission.

"Wow. Do you even know how to work the lawnmower? Never mind," he waved her off, pulling out his wallet. "Here's thirty. I'll think of a way for you to pay me back."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Lilly squealed jumping and hugging her brother in excitement.

"Don't worry about it," he gave Lilly a small smile and patted her on the back. "Might as well buy her a little teddy bear or something while you're at it," he suggested.

Lilly's face lit up and she let go of her brother. "That's genius! I'll buy a girl bear, to go with Beary. Her name could be Sherry!"

Shaking his head, Will walked back to the lawnmower and crouched down. "I don't really care, Lil. Now go on. I've got to fix this lawnmower," he shooed his sister out of the garage. "And I want my change!"

Lilly pocketed the money and set out for the Malibu mall and Toys R Us. The toy store was fairly packed with little grubby children and distracted parents. Lilly had to smile, though she did pause to wonder how many of those little fingers had been up little noses. She grimaced as a boy reached out and picked up a teddy bear and subsequently sneezed.

Making her way to the stuffed animal aisle, Lilly came upon a rack of bears well above the reach of grabby kids. There were plenty to choose from so Lilly glanced along the shelf, waiting for one to grab her attention. Hidden away in the midst of pushy boy bears sat a petite stuffed animal dressed in a flowery pink dress.

Standing on her tip-toes Lilly was barely able to grab it. Again it was a fight not to step on little children as she made her way to the cashier. Eight dollars later she was back on the street, hoping dearly she didn't catch a cold or the flu or whatever ran amok with the little ones.

As she walked down the mall walkway she spotted Miley and Oliver chatting outside Baskin Robbins. Curious, Lilly crept closer, catching only the tail end of the conversation.

"You're a good man, Ollie," Miley was all smiles.

"Thanks, Miley. I try," he gazed at her.

"I'm sure it just comes naturally," Miley replied with a grin. She stepped forward and hugged Oliver tightly. "I'll call you later."

With a peck on Oliver's cheek she left and Oliver walked away in the opposite direction, not noticing Lilly's stunned face. He was deep in his own thoughts and wasn't expecting Lilly to be nearby. As he walked past, Lilly watched, jaw gaping.

What was going on? Her mind raced. Was this Miley's revenge? Hooking up with Oliver? Would Oliver really backstab her like that? Rage bubbled through her, seeping through her veins and lighting her on fire. Fear tossed a bucket of frigid water on the rage, though. Could it be possible? Were they together? Was she too late?

"Get a grip, Truscott." She took a few deep breathes. "Don't jump to conclusions. I'm sure there's nothing wrong. It was just… them hugging. Anyways, Miley doesn't even like boys."

Hurrying on her way, she found her way to a flower shop and purchased a dozen red roses. Making a split second decision she also bought a small heart shaped balloon. It was cheap due to the season being so far from Valentine's Day.

Lilly held her purchases tightly to her chest. She wasn't going to lose Miley to Oliver. When she got home it was going on five-thirty. Just enough time to get dressed and make sure her makeup looked perfect.

Staring at the gifts she bought for Miley, a sense of panic rose in her. She had forgotten Miley's birthday! So, she decided to leave the bear behind, so she'd have something to give Miley tomorrow, if everything went well tonight. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed the flowers and yelled goodbye to her brother, who was mowing the lawn.

Determined to show some backbone, she rang the doorbell, shifting from foot to foot. A few moments later, Miley opened the door, looking surprised.

"Lilly."

"Miley."

The brunette smiled softly and stepped out of the doorway, gesturing inside. "Come on in."

"I don't know what's going on between you two, but I'm not going to let Oliver take you," Lilly said quickly, stepping inside and thrusting the flowers into Miley's arms.

Miley sniffed them, heart lightening. Lilly still wanted her. "There's nothing between Oliver and me."

"But I saw you talking! You kissed him!"

"I kissed his cheek, and I was thanking him for convincing you to come here," Miley explained slowly.

"But… but…" Lilly's face turned scarlet at her embarrassment.

"I was worried you'd be angry that I ignored you, so I asked him to get you here and not mess up my surprise," she tried to clarify.

Lilly processed silently for a few moments. "So there's nothing going on?"

"No. Now come on," Miley shut the front door and made for the stairs up to her room. "I hope you like this."

As they entered the room, Lilly sat on the bed and watched Miley set down the roses on her desk and pick up another object. "Your guitar?"

"Shh," Miley hushed Lilly before pulling her music stand over. Taking a deep breath, she leaned over to her computer and clicked something. A slow synthetic drum beat came from the speakers, and Miley started strumming. The bass guitar joined in a moment later, and Miley's voice soon flowed into the mix.

_When I close my eyes for the last time at night_

_I can see you there waiting in my dreams_

_When the sun goes down and the light fades away_

_I can hear your voice whispering my name_

Lilly listened quietly, closing her eyes and letting the sound wash over her.

_You're the happiness of a warm spring day_

_The laugh of a child running out to play_

_You're freedom of the last day of school_

_When your worries fly away_

She couldn't help but smile at the last as the chorus came over her.

_I've never felt this way before_

_So brokenhearted yet so full_

_I need to feel you_

_I need to hold you _

_I need your name on my lips_

_But I can't tell you how I feel _

_Inside_

_You've got the smile that lights the way_

_In the coldest place, on the darkest night_

_You hold my heart in your two hands_

_But you don't know it, no you don't know_

_I've never felt this way before_

_So brokenhearted yet so full_

_I need to feel you_

_I need to hold you _

_I need your name on my lips_

_But I can't tell you how I feel _

_Inside_

The music picked up and Lilly could tell the song was wrapping up.

_And now I'm standing before you_

_Holding my breath as I wait_

_I have to know_

_I have to know_

_I have to know_

_Do you feel this way too_

Lilly had never heard something so heart-wrenching and passionate. The music faded away but it replayed in Lilly's mind. Her eyes opened to see Miley staring at her.

"Lilly Truscott, I don't know why you don't want to be with me, but I'm willing to do anything to get you back," Miley whispered.

Lilly gazed, tears filling her eyes. "That was for me?"

"Yes." Miley fingered the tattered paper with the words. It had started out as scrap paper, but she'd held it so often over the past few months that the edges were worn away.

Lilly got up, and walked to Miley's window, staring out at the night sky. She was trying not to cry and failing. Miley approached, wrapping an arm around Lilly's shoulders. She held on tight, hoping these were happy tears.

"I'm sorry, Miley…" Lilly whimpered softly. "I can't believe how stupid I was…"

"Can you tell me why?" Miley was still dying to know what had caused the upheaval.

"My dad… you know how important he is to me. He… he lost it. I'd never felt like a failure until that moment. I couldn't take it, so I just wanted to make him happy. Make him love me again. But Oliver helped put me back on the right track. I figured out that I should be more worried about what makes _me_ happy. Miley, you make me happy," Lilly set her head on the brunette's shoulder.

"You make me happy, too, you know," Miley chuckled quietly.

"Would you mind if I kissed you?" Lilly asked, fingering the window in front of them.

Pulling away slightly, Miley shifted so that she was facing Lilly. "Are you crazy?"

"No."

"That's my answer, too."

Lilly didn't move. "No, I can't kiss you, or no, you wouldn't mind?"

There was a beat of silence before Miley answered. "Oh, just kiss me," she whispered, tilting her head down. Lilly could hardly stop smiling long enough to comply.

--


	12. Sweet Sixteen

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 12  
**Sweet Sixteen

_When in doubt, tell the truth. - _Mark Twain

--

The next day, Miley woke with a giant smile on her face. She and Lilly were back together, Lilly had loved her song, and, to make everything just that much better, it was her 16th birthday. She squealed in excitement as she jumped out of bed at 5:30 and raced downstairs. It was family tradition that you got to open your presents first thing in the morning, so you could enjoy it for the entire day. Reaching the kitchen, she paused in disappointment. There was nothing and no one in the kitchen, save a single piece of paper on the dining table.

_front door_

Blinking in confusion she turned to the front door and saw another piece of paper there. Hurrying over, she grabbed it off the door with a giddy hop.

_driveway_

Grinning madly, she threw open the front door and dashed out, stopping just as suddenly as she reached the driveway. "Oh my God!" she screamed as she jumped up and down in joy. A small flock of birds was startled by the noise and flew out of a nearby tree, complaining loudly.

There, in front of her, was a brand new Camero – like the one from the _Transformers_ movie – all cherry red and looking sexy. And, standing next to it was her dad, holding a cup of coffee and jingling the car keys at her, a giant smile on his face.

"Happy Sweet Sixteen, bud."

Shrieking in joy again she leapt to him and pulled him into a fierce hug. "Thank you thank you thank you thank you!"

After a minute of thank yous, Robby Ray suggested, "How about you go get dressed and we take it out for a spin?"

She was gone and back in her room before he could say sweet niblets. Fifteen minutes later, she was back outside, hair still wet from her very fast shower. "Let's go let's go let's go!" she bounced around, excited as she grabbed the keys from her dad and jumped into the driver's side. She adjusted the seat and mirrors as her dad took his time crawling into the passenger's seat. "So, you like?" he asked with a grin.

"Ya think?" she asked, looking at him like he'd lost his mind, grinning like a maniac herself. Then, she started the car and pulled out, driving around the neighborhood, and, briefly, onto the main roads. 

Getting back to the house a short time later, they got out of the car, and Miley mugged her dad with hugs and thank yous again.

He smiled as he went to the kitchen to start breakfast. Miley stayed with her car, walking around it and jumping up and down occasionally as the excitement got too unbearable.

"Holy crap."

Miley spun around, and her smile got even bigger. "You like?" Miley asked, hopping over to Lilly. "It's my birthday present."

"Holy crap."

Miley did a little wiggle dance and wrapped her girlfriend in a hug before kissing her several times, her joy overflowing. Lilly enthusiastically returned the kisses, but remembered that there were still other family members around. "Miles, what if your dad comes out and sees us?"

Miley grinned. "So let him," she smiled, even as she stepped away. "Wanna go for a ride?" she whispered, still bouncing on the balls of her feet. She was trying to contain her excitement due to the early hour but was failing miserably.

"Breakfast!"

Miley's face drooped a little, but Lilly thought it was so cute that she gave the birthday girl another kiss before heading inside. "Sorry Miles, cars are forever, but food lasts only so long."

Pouting, the brunette trudged after her girlfriend, staring at her car until she could no longer see it, then popping her head back to look at it a few times, just to make sure it wasn't going anywhere. When she finally reached the kitchen, most of her family was halfway done eating – Jackson had been done once already, she was sure – and she sat down to a batch of chocolate chip waffles and corn-beef hash. Rubbing her hands together in excitement, she dug in with as much enthusiasm as Lilly usually reserved for food.

"Well, Mr. S, I have to say that compared to your present, mine looks pretty pitiful in comparison," Lilly sighed, leaning back from the table hands on her slightly distended belly.

Miley immediately perked up wiggling in her seat like and excited puppy. "You got me a present? Where is it?"

Lilly looked bored and waved her hand dismissively. "Oh nowhere," she sighed, pointing at her backpack, which sat next to the door.

It took Miley a second to catch on before she tore across the house and quickly unzipped Lilly's backpack. An ear-piercing squeal was followed by, "Awww, she's so cute!" Miley held up the bear for all to see before racing over to Lilly and hugging her tightly from behind. Releasing her, she sprinted upstairs to place her next to Beary. "Now, you two be good. I don't want to come home and find you in a compromising position," she glared at Beary, as if he would be the instigator of such shenanigans. For his part, the bear just looked back innocently.

Grabbing her backpack, she bolted back downstairs and met Lilly and her dad at the door. "Can I drive it to school?" she asked bouncing up and down. "Can I can I can I?"

Robby Ray shook his head, smiling. "Sorry bud, but the school won't issue anymore parking passes this year. Looks like you'll still be walking."

Groaning, Miley trudged out the door, Lilly on her heels. Reaching the driveway, her pout turned into a full-blown smile again, and she couldn't keep the bounce out of her step the entire way to school.

The first half of the day passed in relative ease, and Miley received a birthday cards from her few friends. Jake, being Jake, got her an obnoxious singing one – that just so happened to sing _One in a Million_. She glared and he laughed. Oliver had been much more… well slightly more traditional. "You pervert!" she squealed as she slapped him in the arm. Her face was beet red as she hastily shoved the card in her locker, hoping no one had seen it.

"What did it say?" Lilly asked, trying to reach for it and almost getting her fingers smashed as Miley slammed her locker door shut.

"Nothing." If it were possible, Miley blushed even harder at the thought of Lilly reading the card. Before Lilly could pursue it further, Miley's cell phone rang. Pulling it out, she looked at the caller ID, confused. "Tracie?"

"_Happy birthday, daahhling. I am throwing a party tonight for you, and so you must be there! I will not accept no for an answer!"_

Trying not to laugh, Miley replied that she'd be there and hung up. Looking up at her three friends, she grinned. "Who's up for a party tonight?"

--

Pulling up to Tracie's in her new Camaro was exhilarating. The paparazzi standing around outside went nuts when they saw her pull up. Lilly was sitting in the passenger's seat, while Jake and Oliver had been relegated to the much smaller rear seats. Shouted questions and flashing bulbs lined the walkway into the building, which was already packed. Upon entering, she was immediately set upon by her nasally-challenged friend, who dragged her off to mingle with other celebrity folk. She shouted back that she'd catch up to the others later and waved with a brilliant smile.

Oliver and Lilly stood there, slightly dumbfounded at the sudden departure of their safety net. What if someone realized they were just normal people? Would they get kicked out? "Stop looking like someone kicked your puppy and come on." They turned to Jake who was making his way to the bar, where they all ordered soda. There would be no alcohol at Hannah Montana's Sweet Sixteen.

Lilly was scoping out the crowd, pointing out random celebrities to Oliver, and enjoying the music of the live band, when Jake leaned close to her. "So, Mike tells me you're dating Stewie."

Eyes wide, she turned to Jake and stuttered. "I… uh… wha… yes?"

Laughing, Jake put his drink down and smiled at her. "You two will be good for each other, so don't worry about what anyone says. After all, you beat out the best looking guy you know," he added, posing like some mythical god, trying to keep a straight face. She laughed and poked him in the stomach, causing him to leap away with his arms in front of him in defense. "No touchy."

"Excuse me." All heads turned to where Tracie was standing on stage with Hannah. "Thank you. "Friends, we are all here to wish Hannah a very wonderful happy sixteenth birthday. So, let's have a round of applause for the birthday girl."

Lilly clapped so hard her hands hurt, and Oliver and Jake both wolf whistled, drawing several strange looks.

As the applause died down she said a few words of thanks before vacating the stage and making her way back over to her friends, a giant smile on her face. The night passed peacefully for a few hours 

before Miley wanted some fresh air, and she and Lilly made their escape to an upstairs balcony, to have some peace.

Downstairs, Oliver was having little luck with the ladies. Well, no luck actually. His pick up lines were falling flat and he was beginning to get frustrated. Wasn't he handsome? Wasn't he debonair? Smooth? Suave? Gentlemanly? Jake had already hooked up with a girl and was currently dancing with her. He glared at the blond in jealousy and got a grin in return.

Maybe it was the beard. It was probably the beard. He snuck into a bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror. It was definitely the beard. He ripped it off, wincing as it left his chin. Dropping it in the trashcan, he reemerged ready to try again. Looking around, hoping to see a potential target, he spotted several people clamoring near the front door, which he found odd. Unless – he perked up – unless someone really famous had arrived.

He joined the mob enthusiastically, trying to peek outside. Then, he saw her, and he could have sworn his heart missed a beat. She was gorgeous: long brown hair, tinged at the tips with red, confident brown eyes, a red hat tilted jauntily on her head and impeccable clothing. And when she walked, she moved with unrivaled confidence.

"I heard there was a party for Hannah and I just had to be here," Mikayla sighed, flipping her hair with an idle hand. "What kind of friend would I be if I didn't?"

The paparazzi behind her took as many shots of her as they could while she stood in the doorway. She flaunted herself, basking in the attention. Flashes flared, and Oliver caught sight of one camera that was pointed way too high to have been aimed at Mikayla.

Oliver, of course, remembered how Mikayla had tried to hurt Hannah's career, but it was hard to keep such small things in mind when he was seeing her in person. Only through sheer force of will could he keep the drool from running down his chin. At first it was difficult to get within ten feet of the girl since she was literally covered in fans, but soon the crowd thinned - mostly due to Mikayla's poor attitude – and Oliver took his chance, sidling up to her.

"Hey, Mikayla. Can I call you Mikayla?" he asked, flashing what he hoped was a dashing smile. She was even more beautiful up close.

"Um, no?" she responded in a disgusted tone, settling her hands on her hips and tilting her head ever so slightly in disbelief.

"Can I call you beautiful?" he tried again, trying to maintain his smile. It was hard, though; his cheeks were starting to ache.

"I'm not going to stop you," she looked away, glancing through the crowds of people. "I don't suppose you know where Hannah is?"

"She's outside with… nobody. Just somebody. Nothing's going on," Oliver fumbled, realizing he almost spilled the beans on a private moment.

Mikayla smirked. "What did you say your name was?"

"Mike. Standley. The third," Oliver pieced it together, wishing he didn't sound like such an idiot.

"Well, thank you, Mike." She didn't look back at him as she walked away.

"Call me!" He hollered at her receding form. He smiled proudly -- that went well. As he watched her disappear up the stairs, it dawned on him -- he hadn't given her his number. He kicked the ground, 

stubbing his toe. He yelped in pain as he hopped up and down, to the curious looks of several bystanders.

Upstairs, Miley and Lilly were snuggling against each other, leaning against the railing and staring up at the stars. Miley was reminded of the previous Saturday, their first night as a couple. Unconsciously she began rubbing Lilly's arm, enjoying just their simple proximity.

Miley froze as an obnoxious voice invaded her world. "Hannah, there you are. I've been looking for you," Mikayla stepped out into the evening air. She eyed Lola with distaste. "And this is…"

Miley dropped her arm away. "Lola Lufnagle—"

Lola stepped in. "Daughter of oil tycoon Rich Lufnagle."

"Lola," Miley warned quietly. Mikayla was dangerous, sort of. At the very least, she was evil. "What do you want, Mikayla?"

"I was hoping that I could interest you in a sing-off."

Miley almost laughed. Oh, yes, evil indeed. "You want a repeat performance of Florida? I could take you any day."

"Hannah, be careful," Lilly warned, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "This could be an evil plan."

"Will you do it?"

Miley glanced to Lilly. Maybe Lilly was right. But before Miley could respond, her phone went off. She looked at the caller ID. It was Oliver. "Hannah, watch out, Mikayla's on her way up."

"Little late there, Mike," Hannah hissed.

"Well?" Mikayla pressed. "If I win you have to admit on national television that I'm better than you."

Miley handed the phone off to Lilly. "And if I win… you have to go on one date with my good friend Mike Standley."

It was a brash decision, but it was either Oliver or Jackson, and using Jackson would make it too easy to trace Hannah back to Miley. She just hoped Oliver wouldn't mind when he got landed with the date from hell. Lilly whispered goodbye to Oliver before snapping the cell phone shut.

"That… boy?" she shivered in disgust. "Well, that's not a problem. I won't lose." Mikayla stated confidently, tossing her head to the other side.

"Uh-huh. When and where?" If Miley had a tail it would have been swishing behind her, quite like a cat's before it strikes.

"I was thinking here. At your birthday party. I even brought the press," Mikayla jerked her thumb at the party.

"You're on."

Lilly grabbed Miley's arm, trying to get Miley's attention, "Hannah, don't do it! She's had all day to warm up since she knew this was coming! You haven't warmed up, you haven't picked a song; it's stacked against you!"

"All the more embarrassing for her when she loses," Miley squared her shoulders. "I'll be downstairs in ten minutes. Be ready."

With a toss of her hair, Mikayla was gone. Lilly gazed at Miley, deeply worried. It wasn't that she didn't have faith in Miley's voice and performance, but rather that Mikayla was probably going to play dirty. It was a low blow to spring a competition on Miley out of the blue.

"Hannah, please. You can still back out of this," Lilly begged.

"You don't think I can beat her?" Miley asked.

"It's not that at all," Lilly struggled to find the right words. "You're the best singer ever but she'll have the perfect song picked out and well practiced. You'll pick a good song, sure, but you're not prepared."

"Lola, just trust me, okay?" Miley gave Lilly a quick, reassuring hug. "And besides, I'm a big girl. I know how to lose gracefully if I have to."

"Hannah, we are not going to soap her limo."

"Aw, come on!" Miley joked, an idea forming in her head. "Hey, I know my song was supposed to be just for you and I understand if you don't want me to, but what if I used it…"

Lilly blushed. "You'd want to use it?"

"Of course!" Miley smiled.

"Go ahead." Lilly was practically glowing. Miley wanted to use a love song written for her to beat Mikayla's stupid game. "And since nobody's heard it before, it's got even more umph behind it!"

"And because it means so much to me, it'll be great."

"You did sound good when you sang it before," Lilly agreed. She sighed wistfully; it was nice to have a musician as a girlfriend.

"But you'll have to stand somewhere I can see you while I'm singing," Miley instructed. "It won't work unless I see you."

Lilly beamed. "I'll stand against the wall, center. That way you can look around and always find me."

"Yeah, I probably shouldn't watch you the whole time."

Lilly nodded.

Miley didn't voice her other reason. She wasn't sure she was ready to explain to all those people why she was delivering her love song to Lola. "We better get in there."

Inside the guests had gathered around the stage. Mikayla was on stage, looking impatient as she talked to the band Tracie had hired. She smiled when Miley approached, fully prepared to put on the usual act –

"Oh, Hannah! I'm so glad you agreed to this. It's such an honor to sing next to you, especially on your brithday!"

"Oh you!" Miley smiled back but the side of her lips twitched. "How are we going to judge this?"

"Loudest applause? We need an impartial judge." Both girls gazed around the room, eyes settling on the security guy standing by the door.

Miley beckoned to him. "Would you do the honors?"

He came to stand by the stage, nervously glancing at the two girls. On one hand he wouldn't get fired over this, but on the other there was probably going to be a pop princess very angry with him by the end of it.

"Since it's your birthday, who do you want to go first?" Mikayla twisted the microphone back and forth.

"Feel free." Miley backed off the stage, giving Mikayla the spotlight.

The song Mikayla sang was a cover of an old Led Zepplin song, and she delivered it well, owning the stage and the audience. She received raucous applause, a few whistles, and several cat-calls.

Miley accepted the mic as Mikayla brushed past her, already confident of the win. Wiping her hands on her jeans, Miley looked through the crowd, spotting Lilly. She smiled shyly and settled the microphone into the holster. For this song she wanted to play her own music, since nobody else would know how. She turned to the guitarist and asked if she could borrow his instrument, which he promptly handed over. Taking a deep breath, she started strumming.

At first, the audience didn't respond. They seemed to be in shock – this was a song they'd never heard before. It didn't take long for them to get into the tune, though, swaying to the slow rhythm. They stayed fairly quiet, except for a few whispers and the odd cheer, and just let the music wash over them.

When the song was done, though, the crowd erupted. The security guard didn't even have to judge – the applause for Hannah was clearly much louder than that for Mikayla. Miley gripped the guitar tightly and bowed, glad her song was so well received. After handing back the guitar, she left the stage she was bombarded with questions.

"Who was that for?"

"Will it be on your next CD?"

"Will you marry me?"

Beaming brilliantly, Miley made her way to where Mikayla was fuming, extending her hand.

"Good try, Mikayla."

Mikayla refused the hand. "This isn't over, Montana."

"That's true," Miley said, trying to look sympathetic, and failing miserably. "You still have to set up your date with Mike."

The look Mikayla shot her could have curdled milk. A click from a camera reminded the defeated diva of the circumstances and she immediately smiled again. "Of course. Where is he, anyway?"

Oliver was at their side in an instant. "Somebody mention me?"

Miley gestured to him, trying not to laugh at his goofy grin. "Right here."

Mikayla rolled her eyes, "We're going out Saturday night, got it?"

Oliver's jaw dropped. "For serious!?"

"Look, kid, make this easier on me. Don't tell any of your little friends, don't tell the press."

"Where are we going?" Oliver was content to let Mikayla do the ordering. Bossy women were nothing new to his life.

"A small restaurant. I don't know where yet. I'll be in disguise. You'll be out of disguise. I'm assuming this is get-up is a disguise. At least, I hope it is. Just… don't dress like that," Mikayla shook her head. "Please."

Oliver nodded obediently. "Sure, sure. Should I give you my address?"

"Yes. Write it down and give it to my driver."

"Can't I give it to you?" Oliver asked before quailing under the glare she fixed on him. "To the driver, then."

"I'll pick you up at six. Be ready." Not bothering to say goodbye, Mikayla left with one last toss of her long brown hair.

With Mikayla gone, Miley relaxed considerably. Lilly bounced over and gave Miley a quick hug. "You rock!"

Miley glanced around nervously, wondering if anybody had seen. "Thanks."

Noticing, Lilly narrowed her eyebrows for a moment but let it go. "So are we good?"

"We're great." Miley reached over and grabbed Lilly's hand. "We're perfect."

Lilly cuddled in closer, smiling happily. Nothing could bring her down, not even thoughts of Miley's reaction to her hug. That was probably just surprise or something, it's not like Miley was ashamed of her or something... right?

--


	13. A Pressing Matter

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 13  
**A Pressing Matter

_Arguments are to be avoided; they are always vulgar and often convincing._ - Oscar Wilde

--

When Miley woke up the next morning, Sherry – her new bear – was tucked in her arms. Beary watched reproachfully from the pillow next to her head.

"Beary, you know this doesn't mean anything, right?" Miley asked her original bear. Beary didn't reply, but looked at her in disbelief. "I mean, she is your wife."

Giggling, Miley set Sherry next to him and set about getting ready for school. After her shower was taken and her makeup was done, she headed downstairs to grab a piece of fruit and wait for Lilly.

Robby met her at the foot of the stairs, phone gripped tightly in his hand. "Miles, we need to talk."

Miley frowned and followed her dad into the kitchen. He motioned for her to sit down, and began pacing. Feeling extremely anxious now, because her dad never paced, she asked what was wrong. He stopped in front of her and cocked his head to the side. "Anything you need to tell me, bud?" he asked after a moment.

The younger Stewart blinked, and then immediately felt her stomach drop into her shoes. "Like what?" she asked nervously, stalling a little.

"How about telling me who you're dating right now?" he asked, crossing his arms and waiting expectantly.

"Ummm… well… I've been meaning to tell you…" she trailed off at the disbelieving look on his face and sighed. "Lilly. I'm dating Lilly," she replied, her eyes glued to the floor in front of her.

"Yeah, I know. Just found out, actually."

Miley looked up at him in alarm. "What?"

"You want to know who I just got off the phone with? The label," he pushed on without waiting for an answer. "They called me up screaming at about four this morning. And would you like to know how they found out?"

Miley had a sinking suspicion he was going to tell her either way.

"_Us Weekly_ called them, saying they had photos of you necking with an unidentified girl with purple hair. Now call me crazy, but I only know of one of Hannah's friends with purple hair, and it isn't Mike Standley," he finished, looking pointedly at her.

Miley sat there, fighting the tears that threatened her eyes. Now she knew how Lilly had felt when her dad had ripped into her. Her dad thought she was –

"Why didn't you tell me, bud? It's not like I was going to lock you in the bathroom until you promised to date boys," he said, a slight smile on his face at his own joke.

She looked up at him in surprise, then launched herself out of her chair and hugged him so tight that he was fighting for air. When she finally released him, she was confused. "So why are you so mad at me?"

Shaking his head, he sat down at the table, but was interrupted by someone knocking on the front door.

Miley sprinted to open the door, knowing it was Lilly. "Hi!" she beamed, pulling her girlfriend into a tight hug as soon as her blonde hair came into view.

"Well, good morning to you, too," Lilly smiled when they separated.

"Good morning, Lilly." The two girls looked behind Miley to see her father standing there, a tight smile on his face. "Um… bud, I need you home right after school. Hannah has some damage control to do," he said, looking meaningfully at Miley.

Miley nodded, then, seeing the time, yelped and ran to get her backpack. The two ran out the door with a wave to the elder Stewart, who shook his head and walked off to make some more phone calls. This was not going to be a fun day.

"What did your dad mean?" Lilly asked as they neared the school.

Miley grinned guiltily as she looked at Lilly. "One of the paparazzi got a picture of us last night," she explained.

The other girl's eyes opened wide as saucers as she realized what the other girl meant. "You mean… of _us_? Kissing?"

Miley nodded, blushing slightly. "Yeah." Her earlier thoughts of denying everything faded when she saw Lilly's hopeful face.

"So you're going to come out, then?"

"N…no," Miley stumbled. "I was actually going to deny it."

"You can't! You have to come out! It's only fair, Miley! You made me come out to my family," Lilly accused.

"But this is totally different! This is my career!"

"That was my life! This isn't any different! Miley, you'll survive this. I survived my dad. And besides, you have a great voice. People aren't going to stop buying your music just because you're a lesbian."

"Not so loud!" Miley hissed, looking around to see if anyone heard her.

Lilly stopped and stared at her in shock. "I didn't know you were so ashamed," she snapped before hurrying off. Miley whacked an open palm on her forehead; she was such a screw-up sometimes. She ran after Lilly, catching up to her just outside their classroom. She hooked the crook of the blonde's elbow and spun her around.

"I'm not ashamed, Lils, you know that," Miley swallowed roughly, building up her nerve for her next words. "But, if it makes you happy, I'll do it."

Lilly turned, eyeing Miley. Satisfied that the brunette was telling the truth, she relented, "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

Miley froze when she opened the door to first period, because Oliver was standing there, and he grabbed her arm and hauled her back out into the hallway, to the curious glances of other students and Lilly. "I need to warn you about something."

Miley felt her stomach return to her shoes.

"Ashley has a cousin who works for some gossip mag. And she said they have pictures of Hannah Montana making out with some girl," he said, looking seriously between the two girls.

Miley nodded, stunned, as she brushed by Oliver and into the classroom. Lilly sighed as she watched the other girl go before turning to Oliver and explaining about their morning.

The room was abuzz with rumors, which, over an amazingly short span of time, spread throughout the school. Lilly's spirits lifted, as she only heard the positive comments about Hannah Montana. Miley, however, tuned into the negative comments. At the beginning of first period, she was scared. By the end of the school day, she was completely terrified.

"Lilly, I don't know if I can do it." The two girls were up in Miley's bedroom, sprawled on the bed. Miley had her eyes closed as she felt a headache spread behind them. Her dad had told her that they were going to have an interview with the magazine tomorrow at five, and to top it all off, her label had dropped her. They didn't want an 'immoral message tainting their family image.' There was that, and the fact that they didn't want to deal with millions of irate parents. So, Hannah Montana was currently a free agent, but she knew she wouldn't be picked up unless her record sales remained high in the wake of this 'scandal.'

Determined to cheer Miley up, Lilly gently tickled the other girl's sides, eliciting a high pitched squeal from the taller girl. Miley shot upright, intent on revenge. She was all smiles, though, quickly, and happily, forgetting how upset she had been. Lilly leapt off the bed, running for her life with Miley right on her tail. She got as far as Hannah's closet before Miley tackled her to the ground, pinning her hands over her head.

"Got you!"

Lilly struggled. She didn't quite notice the position they were in and was intent on getting away. "You'll never take me alive, copper!"

Miley smirked. "Really? 'Cause I think I already got you," she cackled gleefully as she began tickling.

"Never!" Lilly screeched as she squirmed around, desperate to get away. "Never!"

Abruptly stopping and changing the subject, Miley leaned forward and laid her forehead on Lilly's, looking into her very close eyes. "Will you go with me?"

Lilly ceased her struggle. "Where? To the interview?" she asked. At Miley's nod she smiled. "Of course! What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't?"

They laid there for a few more moments before realizing the position they were in. Both girls giggled nervously as Miley rolled off Lilly, blushing lightly. Lilly straightened her clothing in an attempt to hide her own flushed face.

The two girls stood and made their way out of the closet. Miley's good mood was quickly dissipating as she remembered another… short issue. "Oh, Lil, we have another problem."

Lilly threw herself down onto the bed, burying her face in the bedspread. Her words came out a little muffled. "What's that?"

"Rico."

Lilly's head shot up. "Rico?" she asked, face twisted in confusion.

"He found out about us." Miley fell next to her. "He wants us to do stuff for him or else he's going to tell everyone."

Lilly shuddered. "How did he find out?"

"He heard us talking at the beach." Miley was upset with Jackson, but she didn't want Lilly angry with him, too. Best to keep that part under wraps.

Outside the bedroom, Jackson was passing by. His attention was piqued at the mention of Rico. Immediately he stopped and pressed his ear to the door.

"So what are we going to do?" Lilly questioned.

"We have to do what he asks. I don't think I'm ready for the whole school to know."

Lilly scooted over and hugged Miley's leg. "I guess you're right. I just hope it's not something stupid or horrible."

"Knowing Rico, it'll just be tedious and embarrassing," Miley joked weakly.

Jackson pulled away. He couldn't let Rico do this to his sister, especially since it was his fault. Something would have to be done. Running a hand through his hair, he continued on his way down the hall. Rico would have to be taught that he couldn't mess with Miley. And if it meant using brute force – Jackson cracked his knuckles, or rather tried to and instead hurt his hand – that was fine with him.

--

The next day was a blur as Miley spent most of the Saturday locked in her room, thinking about what she was going to say to the magazine. It was one thing to talk to a reporter at _Tiger Beat_ – all they wanted to know was what and who you liked. The reporter tonight would want to know about her private life, and her views on important things. That was, after all, the point to the article.

Lilly and Oliver tried their hardest to distract Miley – Lilly a little more successfully than Oliver – but it ultimately fell by the wayside. She was too focused on getting the article over with and moving on. Her dad had booked a hotel room, knowing that neutral ground was the safest place for her and her identity.

At the hotel room later that evening, Miley gripped her bottle of water with sweaty palms, wondering how the time had slipped by. Lilly was in the bathroom, adjusting her deep hot pink wig. She hoped Miley could do this; Lilly fully understood the pressure. If it was hard to tell her parents, it must be ten times worse to tell a judgmental public.

There was a knock on the door, and her mustachioed father answered the door with a smile. "Thanks for coming," he greeted, shaking hands with a thin, black-haired woman carrying a notebook, and a dusty-blond haired man with a camera around his neck.

"I'm just glad you agreed to talk to us," the woman responded with a smile, making her way over to Miley. She stuck her hand out in greeting. "Erica Schober, with _Us Weekly_," she smiled as Miley took her hand. "Thank you for agreeing to talk with me."

Miley smiled in returned, her nerves calming slightly at the easy demeanor of the other woman.

Releasing Miley's hand, Erica waved at the man standing behind her. "This is James. He'll just be taking a few photos for the article."

Miley's eyes narrowed at the man, but before she could say anything, Lilly's voice rang from behind her. "Are you the one who took those pictures of us?" she asked coming to stand beside Miley.

"No," Erica answered for him. "Those were taken by a free lancer who we do a lot of business with. James is a staff photographer."

The two girls nodded, accepting the answer, and they all sat, with the exception of James, who prowled around, snapping a few photos. Robby Ray perched himself on the arm of the couch the two teenagers were sitting on, and Erica occupied the loveseat across from them.

"Okay, first things first. Do you mind if I record this interview?" she asked, pulling out a mini tape recorder and setting it on the coffee table between them.

Miley shook her head. "That would be fine," she smiled.

"Wonderful," the older woman returned her smile, hit record, and pulled out her notebook and a pen. "This is Erica Schober interviewing Hannah Montana, Robby Ray, and…"

Lilly blinked before she realized she was being addressed. "Lola," she replied.

"Lola what?"

"Just Lola. L-O-L-A," she smiled.

"Okay, let's get started," Erica grinned in return before launching into her questions. The reporter asked all sorts of questions that Miley had not even considered, such as what the effect her coming out would have on her fans, or whether or not she would be supporting any specific GBLT foundations and groups or whether she was a member of the Gay-Straight Alliance at her school. Miley answered as best she could, hoping that the truth was the best route to go. Lilly answered the few questions that were thrown her way, as did Robby, but it was definitely Miley's show, seeing as she was an idol to millions of America's children. After a couple of hours, though, Lilly tugged Miley's sleeve, gesturing to her wrist. Miley understood –

"Thanks for your time, but it's getting late."

Erica smiled indulgently and nodded. "Just one more thing," she said, standing up. "Could we get a picture of the two of you, for the cover?"

"Cover?" Miley asked nervously.

"This is cover story material, you know."

Miley turned to Lilly and raised an eyebrow. Lilly shrugged and leaned into Miley. James smiled and flashed a couple pictures. He then directed them, and in the end they were arranged with the two girls' heads side by side, and Miley's arms wrapped around Lilly from behind.

"Perfect," James smiled before snapping off several photos.

Somehow, Miley thought, things were just getting a little out of hand.

--

Sunday passed uneventfully, with Miley and Lilly relaxing in the brunette's room – door open, at Robby Ray's urging – and running over the interview from the night before, talking about the things the reporter had brought up.

"Does our school even a GSA?" Lilly asked. She was leaning back into Miley, who had her back into her headboard. "I mean, I've never heard about it."

"I think we have the Rainbow Coalition," Miley responded. "A girl named Christina runs it. Why, are you interested?"

Lilly shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. Aren't you?"

Miley shook her head. "No. I have enough pressure in my life without being ridiculed in school for being different. Or, more different."

Lilly sighed and looked out the window in disappointment. "I just… I think it would be nice, you know? To know we're not alone at school. This is all new to me, Miley, and as great as you've been, I need someone to talk to that's been there."

They were silent for a while before realization dawned on Miley. "You mean about your dad." Lilly nodded, and Miley instantly felt horrible. "Are you still going to his house for Thanksgiving?"

"No, my dad told my mom not to bother bringing me when she brought Will home. He doesn't want to talk to me until I've gotten over this 'phase.'"

Miley sighed and stared out the window. "You and your mom are always welcome here, you know."

Lilly smiled as she turned in Miley's arms and gave her a kiss. "Thank you. And I'm not saying you have to join, I just think that I might. It might be good for me."

Miley nodded and the two girls let the subject drop. The day faded into evening, and eventually Lilly had to go home. Their parents weren't so keen on them spending the night together anymore, much to their chagrin.

--


	14. Wait! She's Human?

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 14  
**Wait! She's Human?

_I can believe anything, provided that it is quite incredible._ - Oscar Wilde

--

Monday morning found Miley snoring as her alarm clock went ignored. She slept on, worn out from the night before. After Lilly had gotten home, she had called Miley, and it was near midnight by the time they had gotten off the phone.

What woke Miley up in the end was furious pounding on her door. She sat up, smacking the alarm clock. "What?" she yelled in irritation.

Robby pushed the door open. "School starts in fifteen minutes, bud. You better get up and get moving."

Groaning, Miley rolled off her bed and collected fresh clothing. Her shower was brisk – she didn't have time to sit idly and think like she normally did. By the skin of her teeth she made it to first period just before the bell rang. Lilly wasn't there, which Miley had to chuckle over. She bet the blonde would skateboard in at any moment.

Her assumption was correct – less than a minute later Lilly flew into the classroom, a stack of papers grasped in her hand, presumably the last night's homework. Miley smacked her head on the desk; she knew she had forgotten to do something.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Lilly apologized, trying to get to her seat without further mishap. The teacher fixed her with a withering gaze but moved on quickly.

While notes were being written on the whiteboard, Miley scribbled a furious note to Lilly and threw it onto the other desk. Lilly unfolded it –

_Hey Lil – Sorry about last night._

Lilly smiled; Miley shouldn't apologize for that. It was rather enjoyable and she loved talking to Miley.

_Miles, no worries. I stayed up late trying to do my homework. Not your fault._

Miley nodded slowly after reading the note. She tucked it into her pocket and turned her attention to the front board. A ball of paper hit her in the back of the head – she turned half way in her seat and found Oliver ginning manically at her. He jabbed his finger quickly at the ball of paper just behind her seat. Nudging it with her foot, Miley knocked it close enough to snag with her fingers.

_Miles! That was so awesome Saturday night! Thanks!_

Miley chuckled – Oliver was such a doughnut. Only an idiot would be able to look past all of Mikayla's horribly obvious flaws. Of course, that explained Oliver. She had a hard time believing that the boy was truly interested in that date but she was happy she could set him up. Crumpling the note up again, Miley smiled. Oliver was a sweet boy. If anybody could change Mikayla, it would be him.

The bell rang, releasing the trapped students. Oliver was at Miley's side a moment before Lilly was. He was still grinning happily – though his expression paled in comparison to Lilly's. They ended up starting to talk at the same time, and Miley could have sworn they had practiced beforehand.

"Miles, thanks so much. Hey! Stop that! No! You stop that!" They began arguing, though how they managed to say the same thing for so long was a mystery to Miley. They stared at each other for a moment before launching into another round. "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Oooo."

"You two, easy there." She grabbed Lilly's hand, tugging. "We need to find Rico."

Lilly grimaced. "I guess you're right."

"But I want to tell you about Saturday night!" Oliver complained loudly. "You're girls. You'll be able to tell me if it went well."

Miley nudged him with an elbow. "You really like her, then?"

"Well, yeah. She's a hot girl, I'm a guy. Do the math." He rolled his eyes at them. "So are you going to help?"

Lilly was sorely tempted to tease him, but held it in. "Sure."

Practically dragging Lilly away, Miley waved apologetically at Oliver. "Sorry, Ollie, not right now. We've got something to take care of."

Rico was waiting at Miley's locker, arms crossed over his small chest. He raised an eyebrow expectantly. "Well?"

"We'll do a few things for you, if it'll keep you quiet," Miley whispered.

Lilly nodded. "A few things. And nothing that'll get us into trouble, got it?"

Rico rubbed his hands together. "Great. Blondie, you get to open my locker every passing period for me. Airhead can go to my next period class and clean my seat for me. And that's just for starters."

Miley grabbed the front of his shirt, fighting with herself. It would be so easy to put a fist into his conniving little face. "What's your schedule?"

Rico pushed her hands away. "That's more like it."

"We'll start tomorrow, okay?" Lilly hoped it wouldn't start immediately. She'd need to do a little planning if she was going to work around getting his locker open and then getting her own stuff and getting to class on time.

"Tomorrow morning. Don't be late, or sick." He tilted his head at the two before strolling to his next class.

Lilly hit a nearby locker with her fist and immediately winced. "Man! They show people doing this in movies, but it's stupid! Note to self! Don't punch lockers!"

Miley rubbed Lilly's sore hand, deep in thought. "I wish we didn't have to pander to his wishes."

"Pander?" Lilly asked, raising an eyebrow. "You are such a dork." At Miley's glare, she grinned hopefully. "We could always come out, you know," she whispered, barely audible.

Miley sighed. "That's a big step, Lil. I mean, we both had to struggle with it in other places. Let's just keep it out of our school life, okay?"

Lilly sighed but didn't push it. She wasn't gung-ho about coming out in high school, but it was better than being blackmailed. As they walked to the next period, Lilly ran her finger along the lockers, enjoying the small thunking noise as she changed from locker to locker.

Lilly left Miley at the door of her second period, hating that they had even one period apart. Miley hurried off, trying her hardest not to be late to class. The beginning of second period meant the morning announcements – Teachers were required to keep their classes quiet for them, though few bothered enforcing it. While Miley's teacher maintained the peace, Lilly's could care less.

Miley listened with half an ear, doodling on a folder with her pen. She drew little hearts and smiled bashfully. The announcements did catch her attention, though, at the first mention of a dance.

"Don't forget the Holiday Dance is less than two weeks away. Buy your tickets during your lunch period. The price is ten dollars a ticket…"

Miley zoned out, thinking. Would she be able to go with Lilly to the dance? It seemed like it would be easy enough – one of them would just have to go in drag. Nobody would know the difference. It remained on her mind until school was let out. She pulled Lilly aside before Oliver showed up.

"Lilly, did you hear the announcements this morning?"

Lilly shook her head, curious. "Not at all. Never do."

"There's a dance coming," Lilly's eyes lit up. "I was thinking about how we could go together. I'll go in a tuxedo."

"Oh, Miles, I didn't know you went for dressing in drag!" Lilly teased quietly.

"If we hid my hair, under a top hat or something, I think we'd be fine." Miley tugged on the tips of her hair anxiously. "Would you want to go with me?"

"Of course!" Lilly nearly squealed. "And since you actually know colors, we can match my dress to your tie over the phone."

Miley giggled. "Boys are so colorblind."

Lilly nodded. "Especially Oliver."

"What about me?" Oliver poked his head into their conversation. "Come on! Hurry up, I want to tell you!"

"Wow, Ollie, she must have really caught your attention!" Miley wasn't sure how to feel about that. She truly wanted Oliver to be happy, but she couldn't get over her dislike for the ornery pop star so easily.

"And how…" He trailed off, eyes glazing over.

"Lilly, I think this requires immediate action." Miley winked at Lilly and discreetly went to poke Oliver's side. Lilly caught on and mirrored the action on his other side. When they made contact, Oliver jumped a foot in the air. He howled loudly and squirmed.

"Girls! Stop it!" He was almost in tears, laughing uncontrollably.

Miley called off the attack. "Let's get to your house, Mr. Oliver, if you're so desperate to tell us."

Oliver perked up. "Let's get going already!"

Lilly chuckled, linking her arm in Oliver's and her other in Miley's. With both arms occupied it looked like a friendly activity. Miley had to commend Lilly for thinking ahead. Now they could maintain contact without worrying.

They were about ten feet from Oliver's house when the dam broke. "She's so great!"

When they reached the front door, Miley was seriously regretting coming home with Oliver to listen. She didn't like hearing her rival praised so lavishly. Lilly removed her arm from Oliver, giving her full attention to Miley now that there was no one around to see.

Up in Oliver's bedroom, he recounted his evening…

--

**Wednesday Evening – 5:30 P.M.**

Oliver dug through his closet, trying to find something suitable. He really wanted to impress Mikayla and he knew it was going to be a struggle. Slipping on a pair of khaki slacks, normally only worn for Christmas dinners and special occasions, he studied himself in the mirror. The pants would have to do. As for a shirt, he pulled on a navy sweater, shook his head, and pulled it off. He dug through his closet and finally found a dark green polo shirt. That would work.

He ran to the bathroom and scrubbed his teeth until they sparkled. His face got scrubbed, his nails cleaned. He tried to fix his hair and found it a battle not worth fighting. If he touched it, it might get worse. So he settled on swishing mouthwash around for a while, hoping to use enough to keep his breath fresh all evening.

After he was clean and fixed up, he dove into the hall closet, trying to find a pair of formal black shoes. His pair was at the very back and slightly dusty so he grabbed a pair of socks from his laundry basket and set to rubbing them as shiny as he could get them.

A honk from the driveway sent his heart a-thudding. He practically tore his laces as he tried to tie his shoes. The second honk sent him flying out the door with a loud holler to his mother, telling her he'd be back before midnight.

Mikayla was waiting in the limousine. She had put on a bleached-blonde wig, the hair styled to about her mid-back. Behind her large sunglasses, her eyes were disapproving. She took in his outfit with a grimace.

"I suppose it's passable."

His shoulders fell but he tried not to let it get him down, "You look great."

It was true – she wore a tight black skirt with a white blouse. The top few buttons were open, revealing the smallest v-shape of flesh possible. It tantalized Oliver, but he kept his distance. He did, after all, want a second date.

"I know."

Not discouraged, Oliver continued trying to make small talk. Mikayla continued to give short answers. The ride to the restaurant was fairly short, thankfully. Oliver was running out of harmless questions to ask.

"So, come here often?"

"No."

"Good, good." He nodded his head agreeably. The limo lurched to a halt, sending Oliver sprawling to the ground. Smiling with good-natured embarrassment, he picked himself up and went to the door. He opened it and helped her out of the limo.

She touched his hand as she stepped out and stared at him, stunned. There was something more to this oaf and she didn't like it. He treated her like she was a person and he was being so nice. There was something wrong with that.

"Well?" She tapped her foot. "Open the door for me."

Oliver smacked his forehead – what was he thinking? He ran to the restaurant and pulled the glass door open for her. "After you."

She sauntered over to the host, leaning on his podium. "Reservation for two, under Key."

Oliver tailed after her like a faithful puppy, "Should I call you Key for the evening?"

"No." She shrugged off his interest.

The host led them to a secluded table. Oliver whistled softly. The restaurant looked clean, inviting, and most of all, expensive. He was glad he'd saved his allowance.

"Well you can call me Oliver. My name isn't really Mike, but that's what Mi… my friend Hannah told me to call myself. She doesn't want her secret out, y'know."

"Mm." Mikayla fiddled with the napkin, not paying a watt of attention to Oliver.

"I mean, Lola is a funny name, and so is Mike. Couldn't we have chosen better names? But mine was made up on the fly when we met that tennis player. I don't think too quickly under pressure. I just kinda saw that mic stand. And bam, Mike Standley was born."

"Mm."

"There's a Doberman in your ear."

"Mm." Mikayla snapped to attention. "Excuse me?"

"Please, Mikayla, can you give me a chance? I think you're really pretty, but that's not why I was looking forward to this date. I wanted to get to know you. Not the you that everybody sees, but the real you. Hannah has a real personality and an alter-ego. I just figured that you did, too."

Inside, Mikayla wanted to smile and start talking. But it was so hard – there were years of hiding and self-defense riddled into her mind. Not even this sweet-talker was going to break her mental barriers.

"I see. You can call me Faye for tonight." She relented, deciding to throw the boy a bone.

"Faye. Pretty." Oliver picked up the menu, "Do you want any appetizers? I'm more of a main course man, myself."

She shrugged, looking down at her menu. Peering through her eyelashes, she gazed at him covertly. He was kind of cute, she had to admit, and sweet. She bit her lower lip. She hadn't let anybody close to her for years. Maybe it was time to make a friend.

"Do you really think I have an alter-ego?"

He glanced up and smiled gently, "Of course."

Her normal air of confidence had faded, leaving behind an unsure teenaged girl. Without Mikayla to hide behind, Faye had no shield. As cocky as she acted in public, she was still human. She still had doubts.

"Faye, I really want to know you. Well, I'll admit, I also want to kiss you." Oliver grinned as he reached across the table and placed his hand on hers, "If you'll give me the chance."

She looked away and didn't answer aloud. But she knew, in her heart, that she'd call him again. It was sweet of him, really, to believe in her so blindly.

--

Oliver finished his story, smiling broadly. Miley, for one, was in shock. Mikayla was… human? It just didn't seem possible. Struggling to find the words to express herself, Miley babbled for a second – unintelligible gobbledy-gook.

Lilly spoke first, cutting off Miley's yammering. "Are you seeing her again?"

"I hope… She didn't specifically say we were going to, but I can hope, right?"

Miley stared between her two friends, still in shock. "Oliver, how can you like her! She's a witch!"

"Correction, Miles. She _pretends_ to be a witch, just like you _pretend_ to be straight. I'm certain there's more to her than that." He sighed with a goofy smile welded to his mouth. "I thought you'd be happy for me! I think she's the one I want to marry."

"Oliver, you're sixteen. I'm pretty sure she's going to be old news to you by next week, when the next Angelina Jolie movie comes out."

Oliver shook his head vigorously. "Why can't you just let me have this?"

Lilly nestled her hands on Miley's shoulders – she had gone to stand behind Miley moments earlier, sensing a storm brewing. She kneaded her hands, trying to calm Miley down before something happened. It worked.

"If you want…" Miley nearly started drooling at her girlfriend's magic fingers. This led her to think of other uses for her magic fingers, which led her to blushing furiously.

Oliver shot Lilly an appreciative look, oblivious to Miley's train of thought. "So, did the interview go okay? I'm sorry I couldn't be there to support you."

Miley shrugged. "It went as well as I could have hoped. I still have to wait and see how the public responds to it." They sat in silence for a few minutes before Miley perked up and turned her attention to Oliver. "Can you help me out? I want to take Lilly to the dance, but I need someone to help me get a tux."

Oliver gave her a mock salute, "My time is yours."

"Thanks." She got to her feet, stretching her arms behind her. "Lilly, we've gotta go do some planning. Oliver, as much as she bothers me, I hope she calls, I really do. I'll be calling later to talk about the tuxedo."

"Bye, Ollie." Lilly waved as she followed Miley from the bedroom. They exited the house together.

"Miles, we need to do something about Rico. We have to out-weasel a weasel." Lilly grumbled as they made for Miley's. "I don't want to open his locker everyday!"

"At least you don't have to clean his seat. He had better have meant the chair. I ain't goin' near him." Miley stared up at the clouds, trying to think as she walked.

"We could set him up." Lilly suggested, "I happen to know quite a few little senoritas…"

"And then what?"

"I don't know… I mean, we could have her dump him and hurt him, or something. Or we could have her call him off," Lilly reasoned.

"Not good enough, but thanks," Miley chuckled. "We need something that'll definitely get him off our backs."

They reached the Stewart house and headed for the kitchen, still chattering off an on about what to do about Rico. Lilly plopped down at the island, letting her eyes close halfway. Miley went to a cabinet and pulled out two glasses and poured some orange juice for them.

Lilly sipped from hers, losing hope. "There's just nothing we can do short of coming out."

"And we already agreed we're not doing that, right?" Miley insisted.

"Agreed," Lilly muttered, once more disappointed.

"I mean, the last thing people need to see, especially Rico, is us coming out right after Hannah and Lola did. It would be really simple to piece it together." Miley fidgeted.

Lilly huffled quietly, "I just wish I knew how Rico knew to listen to us! I mean, we weren't acting like a couple at the beach."

Miley shrugged noncommittally. "He's a sneaky little devil."

A clattering on the back porch caught their attention; Jackson staggered in looking like a mess. He had mud caked through his hair, a black eye, a nose bleed, a split lip, and his shirt was nearly torn from his body. His pants, thankfully, were mostly intact.

"Jackson!" Miley rushed to his side, "What happened to you!?"

He chuckled lowly, not wanting to sound too depressing, "I got Rico off your back for you."

Lilly joined Miley at preening over Jackson. They helped him to the couch and Lilly went to get some ice from the freezer.

"What do you mean?" Miley whispered, trying to get Jackson's hair in order.

"I couldn't let him blackmail you. So I went to him and I said, Rico, you can push me around, but you can't mess with my baby sister. He agreed to stop blackmailing you if I worked for free for the next three months."

"So how come you're so beat up?"

Lilly returned with the ice and a wet washcloth. She gently wiped his face as he answered.

"Well… when I first approached him, I was going to beat the snot out of him." Jackson ducked his head. "He had anticipated that reaction from me and had two big guys with him."

Miley wanted to whack Jackson's shoulder but she refrained, afraid she might injure him further. "You didn't have to do that, Jackson. We would have figured something out."

"Miles, I got you into that mess. I just had to get you out of it."

Miley hugged Jackson around the shoulders. "I think you need a shower, boy."

He nodded. "Am I forgiven?"

"Yeah, I think you are."

Hobbling away, Jackson couldn't help but smile. He winced, losing the smile as his lip split again. "Thanks."

Lilly fell onto the couch beside Miley. "So, why didn't you tell me it was his fault?"

"I didn't think you needed to know. I mean, he was feeling bad enough," Miley explained mildly. She wrapped an arm around Lilly's shoulder. "You don't mind, do you?"

"I guess not. You'll have to make it up to me, though," Lilly snuggled closer. "Take me out Friday night."

"I'm sure Hannah could get reservations somewhere nice. I think the best part about coming out with them is that we can be out in public and still together." Miley laid her head on top of Lilly's.

"I didn't think about that!" Lilly crowed, delighted.

"So where do you want to go?" Miley reached over to run her hand along Lilly's knee.

"Somewhere with good French food."

"You like French cuisine?"

Lilly snaked her hand under Miley's arm to give Miley a sideways hug. "Don't know. But I've always wanted to try."

"French food it is."

--


	15. Escargot

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 15  
**Escargot

_Victory belongs to the most persevering._ - Napoleon Bonaparte

--

Monday, _Us Weekly_ hit the newsstands. So, naturally, everyone had a copy and was talking about it on Tuesday.

Miley and Lilly were in first period waiting for class to start when Ashley strolled into class with a copy under her arm. Miley felt chills run down her arms at the picture of Hannah and Lola on the front cover. It was the last one they had taken that night, and Miley knew – just knew – that people would be able to put the pieces together. She let her head hit the desk with an audible 'thunk.'

"Can I see that?"

Miley's head shot up and she stared in shock at Lilly standing in front of Ashley, asking for the magazine.

"Excuse me?"

"Look, I just want to see the magazine. I'll give you five bucks for it."

Ashley looked like she'd much rather eat the magazine than give it to Lilly, but she decided to take the five bucks, and Lilly was soon back in her seat, buried in the article. The bell rang, forcing Lilly to put the magazine away, but Miley saw the smile on her face.

After class, Lilly pulled the magazine out and read it as she walked down the crowded hall, bumping into people as she went. Miley, finally frustrated for having to apologize for her, grabbed the magazine out of her hands. "You can finish when we get to class," she said before Lilly could complain.

"It's really good," Lilly smiled, unconsciously leaning against Miley.

Panicking, Miley stepped away from her girlfriend, but instantly regretted it at the hurt that blossomed on Lilly's face.

"Fine," the blonde spat. She grabbed the magazine from Miley's hand and stormed ahead of her to class.

With a sigh and a frustrated "Why me?" Miley set off after her. Then, she remembered that she wouldn't see her again until third. Hanging her head and accepting defeat, she made for her class, knowing she'd be in trouble when she met up with her girlfriend again.

--

But Lilly didn't seek her out at school. Even in the classes they had together, Lilly sat as far away from her as possible. Hurt and confused, Miley tried to talk to her several times, but the blonde was having none of it.

Gritting her teeth, Miley cornered her after school at Lilly's locker. "What the hell, Lilly?" she practically yelled, slamming her hand into the locker next to her, causing Lilly to jump in surprise and several people to turn to look.

Lilly regarded her with cool eyes before answering. "Well, you obviously don't want to be seen together at school, so I'm just respecting your wishes and keeping my distance." Sighing in frustration Miley stepped closer, but Lilly shook her head and instead thrust the magazine into Miley's chest. "Here, I thought you might want to read this. You know, about how courageous Hannah and Lola are about all this. Might give you a few things to think about." Then, she stormed off, leaving a bewildered and angry Miley behind.

Miley walked home, alone for once, and read the article as she did. The interview was in there, almost word for word, but so were descriptions of how easy they were around each other. Guilt was racking Miley by the time she got home, and she went up to her room to give Lilly a call and apologize.

Only, Lilly was already there, in her room. "I'm sorry," the blonde said immediately upon Miley's entrance. "I wasn't fair to you, and I know that you… have a lot more riding on all of this than I do."

Miley dropped her bag and stepped to Lilly pulling her in her arms. "I'm sorry too, for not being as understanding as I should have been."

The two girls stood there for a time, just wrapped in each other, and blocking everything else out.

Suddenly, Miley felt Lilly's lip on her neck, and she shuddered at the sensation. She pulled Lilly's face up and brought her lips down on hers in a stunning kiss, and when they broke apart, they were on Miley's bed, with the brunette on top. They continued their heavy make-out session, and Miley's hand got a little wandering fever. They slid to the hem of Lilly's shirt and underneath. As they traveled up, Lilly arched into Miley at the sensation, but Miley quickly retracted her hand with an "Ouch!"

Lilly looked at Miley sternly, hand poised for another slap if needed. "Hey now, Ms. Grabby-Hands, none of that. You haven't earned it yet."

Smirking, Miley leaned back down. "Oh, I haven't?"

Lilly shook her head vigorously in denial.

Miley opened her mouth to respond when her father's voice rang from downstairs.

"Miles!"

"What!?" she yelled back, looking back at her door, but remaining on top of her girlfriend.

"Is Lilly here!?"

She looked at the blonde, confused. "Yeah! Why!?"

"Is your door open!?"

"No!"

"Well, open it then!"

With a grunt of frustration, Miley hauled herself over to her door and swung it open. "There, you happy!?"

"Very much, thank you!"

Groaning, Miley flopped down next to her giggling girlfriend. Lilly smiled and snuggled closer. "Maybe we shouldn't have told our parents," Miley complained, causing Lilly to laugh harder.

--

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving dawned, and after debating endlessly with herself, Lilly decided she needed to do something.

"Miley, I'm going to one of the RC meetings."

The brunette froze as she picked up her backpack from her floor in the bedroom. "What? Why?"

"I told you why. I just… I don't know Miley. I stood up to my dad, and I don't feel like I should be ashamed of myself. All this cloak-and-dagger sneaking around at school… it's starting to grate on me. I've never exactly been a secretive person, Miles, you know that. I can keep Hannah a secret, because it's _your_ secret. But when it comes to my own secrets, I don't really have many. I like being proud of who I am, all of me."

Miley sighed and sat on her bed as she stared at her girlfriend, who was leaning against the doorjamb, looking resolutely at the carpet in front of her. "Okay," she shrugged. "I can't exactly stop you, just… just don't mention my name, please? It's one thing to be out and about and be… well, out. It's another thing for me to be out at school."

Lilly nodded, and that was the end of that conversation. The morning passed as most days did – dull and full of 'learning.' During lunch, she spotted Christina, and got up, running over to her. When she reached the junior, she smiled and waited patiently for her to notice Lilly. When she did, she smiled, clearly bemused. "Can I help you?"

"Umm… yeah. I umm… was wondering…"

The older girl seemed to read her mind, and her confusion cleared to be replaced with understanding. "After school today, in the art room."

Lilly smiled gratefully and thanked her before returning to her friends.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully for the girls. Other than Miley getting into an argument with Jake over whether or not SpongeBob was an STD – something he had heard from someone – there was nothing of note, and 3 o'clock found Lilly outside the art room, almost quaking in her shoes. With a deep breath, she pushed open the door and stepped in. There were about twenty kids, some she knew some she didn't, but they were all looking at her, surprised. Then, someone shouted from the back.

"Sweet! Michelle owes me twenty bucks!"

Everyone laughed and the door swung open again behind her. Turning, she saw Christina walking in. "Hi," she said nervously.

"Hello," the tall, black-haired girl returned. "Why don't you sit down, we're about to start."

And so she sat next to a girl she shared a few classes with. Amy, she thought her name was.

"Hello, everyone. It looks like we have a new face today. We'll start with introductions, and then move on to a few things of interest. Then, we'll open to stories."

Christina smiled and motioned to Lilly. Nervously, Lilly stood and walked to the front. "Hi, I'm Lilly. I feel like I'm at an AA meeting." A lot of people laughed, making Lilly feel a little more at ease. "I'm bi, I guess. I've really only been aware for the past couple weeks. I'm not really a fan of keeping big things to myself, though, so… here I am," she finished with a feeble wave of her arms.

There was a smattering of applause, and Lilly quickly resumed her seat. Christina resumed her place at the front, and, after forcing everyone to give their names to Lilly, the meeting commenced. They talked about if they wanted to do anything for the gay pride parade, and what they needed to do if they were being bullied by anyone. They talked about the recent vote on gay marriage, and how they felt about it. Then they opened the floor to each of the members, to tell stories they might have about coming out and such.

Lilly, sitting on the back of her chair by now, raised her hand. Christina smiled and pointed to her. "Lilly? You want to talk?"

Nodding, Lilly took a deep breath and began relating her story. First, about Miley coming out to her – being careful not to give away anything that might reveal her identity – then on to how she came to realize her feelings. She told how she got the girl, and subsequently lost her, and, ultimately, her father's reaction.

She felt a weight lifting off her as the words flowed, and by the end of the meeting, she knew she had made the right choice.

--

Thanksgiving passed with the two girls far apart. Miley spent the day with her brother and father, playing games and trying to keep her mind off Lilly. Lilly spent the day in Sacramento with her father and brother, mainly in uncomfortable silence, thinking of nothing but how nice it would be to see Miley the next night.

Friday evening rolled around eventually and Miley pulled her wig on. Lilly was waiting in her room, already dressed and ready, but Miley had changed her mind last minute on what she wanted to wear.

"Hurry up, Miley! We're going to be late!" Lilly hollered, running a hand down her skirt. She was wearing black fishnet stockings, a jean skirt, and several tank tops, each of them a different shade of blue. Her wig was a navy color and she had a white headband on.

Miley snapped the last button shut on her pants and ran out of the closet. She grabbed Lilly's hand and hurried them downstairs to the waiting limousine. After her birthday party at Tracie's, her father had vetoed the Camaro for any Hannah business, as the license plate could be too easily traced back to them. Lilly barely had time to appreciate Miley's new getup. Instead of her earlier outfit, Miley now sported casual black dress pants and a light pink halter top with a picture of Tinkerbell and the words 'Fairy Princess.' Lilly snorted at the joke. Her shoes were flat and open toed, whereas Lilly wore small heels to even out their heights.

In the limousine, they sat close to each other; Miley managed to keep her body touching Lilly's at all times, whether it was their knees touching, their hands brushing, or simply holding Lilly's wrist. At the restaurant, Miley tried to get in inconspicuously, which proved harder than she thought. The moment 

she stepped out of the limousine, flashes went off. Lilly stayed close to her as they fought their way to the doors of the restaurant.

"Ah, Miss Montana, it is so good to see you." The host bowed his head in greeting before checking through his list of reservations. "Many apologies for the crowd out there. We just couldn't get them to leave. It seems that one of our waiters let it slip that you'd be here."

Miley waved it off, unconcerned. "As long as they stay outside, I think we're good. Just tell me I'm not at a window table."

He shook his head with a smile. "Not to worry, I have you at a rear booth. Please, follow me."

Following the host, Miley and Lilly power walked through the restaurant. Miley was very aware of the strange looks they were receiving but she didn't know how to take it. Were the strange looks merely because of her celebrity status, the normal odd stares, or was this because it was two girls on a date?

They settled in at the table and picked up their menus. Lilly glanced through it and knew what none of it was.

"Hannah, you'll have to pick for me," Lilly whispered, feeling a little ashamed.

"How do you feel about snails?" Miley whispered back, a grin on her face.

"Ew. Just ew."

Miley giggled, "Just kidding, Lola. I wouldn't put you through that."

"Are you Hannah Montana?" A young man walked over, clutching a napkin in his hands. He looked excessively nervous.

"Yes, I am." Miley replied.

"I just wanted to tell you that I think you're incredibly brave."

"Oh, well…" Miley blushed, unsure of how to take the compliment. "Thank you."

"Yeah, umm… Can I get your autograph?" he asked uncertainly, holding out a copy of the _Us Weekly_ with her and Lola on the cover.

"Sure." Miley smiled, scribbling out a sprawling _Hannah Montana_. He walked back to his table, leaving Lilly and Miley in peace. Miley sighed with relief, "I'm glad some people are supporting me still."

Lilly smiled at her. "You knew they would. I told you, Hannah, you've just gotta have faith in people."

Miley leaned across the table and gave Lilly a peck on the cheek. "You were right."

Unsatisfied with that, Lilly followed Miley she leaned back into the cushion, pressing a kiss straight on Miley's lips. "I always am."

Their food was served in a timely manner, and Lilly thoroughly enjoyed it. Or at least she tried to, but some of the food was a little strange and she didn't have that flexible of a palette. Miley was bothered a few more times by people wanting autographs, though Miley tried to make it quick. It was a large relief to Miley, however, to have people who still wanted her autograph.

"So, Lola, would you want to come here again?"

Lilly shrugged. "I'd like to try other places, too. But the food was really good."

Miley could tell from the look on Lilly's face that she was lying. They were back in the limousine after wading through crowds of reporters. She found it quite funny that they would wait around while she ate dinner just to get a few pictures. It's not like she was going to stop an answer questions.

"Are you sure? I wasn't too fond of it."

"You weren't?" Lilly let out a breath of air. "That's good. I didn't want to offend you 'cause I didn't know if you liked it or not and I didn't want to be awkward, but if you didn't like it I can tell you that I really didn't like it but I liked being out with you, so I did have a good time."

"Lola?" Miley waited for the rambling to die down.

"Yeah?"

"You don't have to like something just because I like it. You're not going to hurt my feelings." Miley chuckled.

Lilly blushed lightly. "Right."

"Shall I take you home?" Miley asked, hoping the answer would be no.

"Where else can we go?"

Miley pulled her cell phone out, checking the time. It was still only seven o'clock. "We could catch a movie…"

"And let you get mobbed?" Lilly responded.

"What if we took off the wigs? And just went as Miley and Lilly?"

"And risk people noticing our clothing matches Hannah and Lola's?"

Miley hated it when Lilly made sense. "So what do you want to do?"

"I want to go to the beach," Lilly proclaimed.

"Okay." Miley leaned up to the driver, "You heard the lady."

The driver tipped his hat. "Yes ma'am."

Miley settled back into her seat and ran her fingers along the seatbelt. Lilly watched her anxiously.

"Are you okay with the beach?"

"I'd say something if I wasn't," Miley reassured Lilly. "We can get a little dirty, can't we?"

Lilly blushed furiously, her mind dive-bombing the gutter. "Yeah… sure…"

"Was Lilly having naughty thoughts?" Miley giggled.

The blush darkened. "Miley…"

"Okay, okay, I'm stopping." Miley rolled down one of the windows slightly to let in a burst of fresh sea air. Lilly sniffed it appreciatively.

Soon enough they were at the beach and Lilly was tumbling through the sand happily. She was careful, though, to keep her skirt down. Miley followed after her, shoes abandoned back in the limousine. Their driver had promised to return in an hour or so, giving the girls some time to themselves.

Lilly fell to the ground and began digging furiously. It was childish, she knew, but burrowing and making tunnels was one of her favorite beach activities. Miley went to her side and helped dig. Occasionally their hands would brush; each time sent little sparks through Miley's body and she eventually couldn't stop herself from pushing Lilly back from the holes and down into the sand.

Pressing herself down on Lilly's body, she nuzzled Lilly's neck gently and kissed the blonde's jaw line. Lilly's breathing had quickened, leaving her near breathless when Miley pulled away. Ever cautious of Lilly's feelings and desires, Miley gazed down at her girlfriend, asking permission to press another kiss on Lilly's inviting lips.

Lilly wrapped her hands around Miley's neck, vaguely aware of the sand that was tickling her neck and probably getting embedded in her wig. That was permission enough for Miley who leaned back down and kissed Lilly gently. Leaving one hand for support in the sand, Miley sent the other to caress Lilly's ribs. She hoped that she was doing this right. Lilly had no complaints; she just wished the sand was a firmer surface. Any slight shift in her body sent more sand toppling down her shirt and into her skirt. Her hands tightened behind Miley's head.

Miley eventually paused in her work and fell beside Lilly, grinning manically. She'd wanted to do that for what felt like years. Lacing their fingers together, Miley pressed her thigh against Lilly's in the hopes that Lilly would somehow get some of the emotion that Miley was feeling. Even without Miley pressed against her, Lilly was feeling very close to the way Miley was. Her heart felt like it was air in her chest. If she wasn't weighed down by her body, she felt like she'd be zooming through the darkening sky. Her lips buzzed with excitement and her fingertips tingled pleasantly.

"Hannah…" Lilly murmured, wishing she could be whispering Miley's name. "Thanks for tonight."

Miley sighed softly, "I should thank you."

"Why?" Lilly sat up slightly, genuinely curious. As far as she could tell, their entire relationship was based on Miley's determination, love, and perseverance.

"You gave me a chance." Miley sat up as well.

"I'm sorry I didn't see it sooner," Lilly murmured, casting her eyes downward.

"At least you saw it." Miley wiggled her toes through the sand. "I don't know how long I would have lasted, though, if you held out."

"I bet only a few more days. I'm hard to resist," Lilly joked.

"That's for sure." Miley agreed.

"So why me?"

Miley's toes paused momentarily, "What do you mean?"

"You could have anybody you wanted and you chose me." Lilly wanted to bury herself in the sand just to hide. She felt bad for asking but sometimes she felt like she wasn't pretty, or feminine, or even desirable. When she was with Miley, all the boys flirted with Miley. Lilly was just the tag-along. When she was with Oliver, no boy ever even looked in her general direction.

"Lola, you're the best friend a girl could have. What's not to love?"

"I'm sorry…" Lilly whispered.

Miley could tell that Lilly wanted more, so she tried to put it into better words. "You know what I love most about you, physically?"

Lilly shook her head silently.

"I really love your hair. I wish my hair was like yours." Miley shook her wig out. "Blonde hair is just so pretty and yours is so smooth. I've always wanted to just run my fingers through it."

"Seriously?" Lilly stared at Miley, shock written blatantly on her face. "But you have Hannah's hair."

"It's nowhere as good as a real head of hair," Miley commented wistfully. Sometimes she felt like a bald man with a bad toupee.

"It's too bad my hair is in this wig right now." Lilly tried to ease the embarrassment she was feeling. It was absurd to feel awkward over a comment, but that was her usual reaction. She was too used to being teased.

"Lola, you're the most beautiful girl I've ever met." Miley tried to lighten Lilly's spirits. "And I mean that."

Swallowing roughly, Lilly turned her attention back to the tunnels, "We should fill the holes in before the limo gets back."

"If you want." Miley couldn't help but feel like she'd failed some sort of test. "Lola, you do know I'm serious right?"

Lilly shrugged, "Can we not talk about this now?"

Miley nodded, "If you want… Hey, want to go shopping tomorrow? We can drag Mike along."

"Sure," Lilly suddenly felt short on words, "sounds great."

The limousine returned and they climbed back inside. After switching cars once for safety, Lilly abandoned her wig in Miley's possession and was dropped off at home. When she was alone, Miley groaned miserably. It felt like she was losing a race. Worse than that, it felt like her legs were weighted down so she didn't have a chance at winning.

--


	16. Nobody's Perfect

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 16**  
Nobody's Perfect

_One kind word can warm three winter months._ - Japanese Proverb

--

The next day she was ready to try again, though. She picked Oliver up first and briefed him on his mission. He was to make sure Lilly was in a good mood and he was not to pick a fight, no matter how tempting or easy it was. He saluted and they headed to pick Lilly up.

"So what are we shopping for?" Oliver asked – he'd already asked the same question three times previously.

"We told you, Ollie, stuff for the dance."

"I know, I know. But what is 'stuff'?" He questioned uneasily. Girl stuff was much different from boy stuff. Boy stuff was fun and entertaining, and generally had something to do with fart jokes. Girl stuff was… girly.

"Well, you're going to have to help me find a tuxedo that'll fit. But I can't exactly try it on without drawing attention to myself," Miley explained, "and we're going to find Lilly a nice dress."

Lilly sighed, shaking her head. "Miles, we went over this… I don't have money."

"It's my treat, Lil. You deserve it." Miley tried to be encouraging. And besides, after Robby upped her allowance, the first thing she had wanted to do was spend it on Lilly. "A gorgeous dress for a gorgeous girl."

Lilly let her gaze fall to the floor. "Whatever you say."

Miley elbowed Oliver in the ribs. He glared at her but took his cue. "Yeah, you're really pretty."

Hearing it as sarcasm, Lilly picked up the pace, walking a little faster than Miley and Oliver. Miley rolled her eye at Ollie.

"Smooth goin', Oken."

He shrugged, "It's not my fault she's not listening."

It was a struggle not to smack him. "Oliver, can you please just go find me a simple tuxedo?"

He took that as the dismissal it was meant to be. "I'll see if I can find a small one," he shrugged.

As soon as he was gone, Miley sped up. She reached Lilly's side quickly enough but Lilly refused to slow down. After a few minutes of grabbing Lilly's arms in an attempt to get Lilly to listen, Miley finally just stopped dead in her tracks.

"Fine. Be that way."

That caused an abrupt halt in Lilly as well. "Miles… I'm sorry…"

"You've been saying that way too much lately," Miley interjected. "I don't like it. You haven't done anything to be sorry for."

Lilly shrugged, "I just wish you'd stop complimenting me."

"Why? I'm not allowed to compliment you anymore?" Miley didn't understand. She pulled Lilly aside, out of the main stream of mall traffic.

"I know you don't mean it, so please don't waste your breath," Lilly muttered, not willing to make eye contact.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Miley demanded. "You think you're ugly?"

Lilly shrugged, "I guess."

"Have you looked in a mirror?" Miley asked incredulously as she pushed a loose strand of hair behind Lilly's ear. She gazed into Lilly's eyes, "Lil, you're stunning. I wouldn't say it unless I meant it, you know that."

Lilly softened, "I'm really lucky, you know that?"

Miley nodded sagely, "Yes, I know. Anybody who's got such a loving, caring, beautiful, talented –"

Lilly chuckled, mood broken, "I get it. You're perfect."

"Thank you!" Miley accepted the comment with a bow and small flourish of her hands. "Now what do you say we find you the perfect dress for next week?"

Smiling widely, Lilly nodded, "If you're sure you want to pay…"

And suddenly, miles away, Robby Ray rescued his wallet from his back pocket, holding it in his hands. He realized that giving Miley a little freedom with Hannah money might possibly end badly. Shrugging, he threw the wallet aside and continued playing Jackson's video games.

A short while later, Lilly twirled in her dress; it was amazing how good one could feel in the right clothing. Miley smiled at her girl as Lilly flounced in front of the mirror. The dress was a stunning sky blue sleeveless number. It was floor length, but a little too long for Lilly's small stature. It pooled on the ground at Lilly's feet but Miley knew it would be just long enough if Lilly wore heels.

"Do you like it?" Lilly asked. No matter how much she loved it, Miley's opinion meant more to her at times than her own.

"It looks great on you," Miley complimented easily. And it was the truth. The color of the dress really brought out the blues in Lilly's eyes.

"I know I haven't really tried on many but… I feel like this is the one…" Lilly returned her gaze to the mirror. She was almost smitten with the article of clothing.

"Then you shall have it." Miley got up and walked over, fingering the silky material. A furtive glance around confirmed that they were alone in the Changing Room; Miley snuck a quick kiss onto Lilly's cheek, "I'm going to be the envy of every guy at that dance."

Lilly beamed, "I'm sure you'll look sharp in a tuxedo, too."

Miley fiddled with her hair, "I hope. I guess I'm going to have to do something about my chest." She stared wistfully in the mirror. Although she wasn't extremely busty, she did anticipate a little pain when she got to that part of her costume.

Lilly was silent a moment, not sure how to respond. "I'm sure you'll look great without a chest?"

Rolling her eyes, Miley went back to her seat. "Go change out of the dress and we'll find you some earrings, okay?"

Lilly twisted a strand of hair between her forefinger and thumb. "Miley, I don't think I could ever thank you enough for this."

Miley shrugged it off, "You'd do the same for me, right?"

"If I was an undercover pop star with money? Totally." Lilly spun around once more for good measure. Satisfied with how she looked, Lilly returned to the little stall that held her real clothing and immediately realized her problem – it was one thing to put this dress on, it was another altogether to get it off. Blushing furiously, she called out weakly, "Umm… Miles? I'm, uh… gonna need some help getting this dress off."

There was a brief pause before Miley responded. "Seriously?"

Miley appeared in the stall a moment later, blushing as hard as Lilly. "Okay," she gulped. "Let's do it."

Lilly's eyes widened comically, and Miley started laughing as she realized what she had said. That managed to break the tension, and they worked quickly to remove the garment. When Lilly was down to her skivvies, though, Miley turned Lilly to face her. Lilly could feel the blush radiating heat through her whole body.

"Lil, you are absolutely gorgeous," she murmured before pushing her against the wall of the stall and kissing her soundly. When they broke for air, Lilly knew that if she didn't insert some good ole common sense into the situation, they'd end up doing very inappropriate things in the very small area.

"Miles," she breathed, keeping the other girl from kissing her for a moment. "We need to stop. People will be able to hear us."

Visibly restraining herself, Miley nodded and stepped out of the stall, leaving Lilly to catch her breath.

When she finally stepped out of the dressing room, fully dressed, Miley was standing there with a goofy smile and a blush on her face. Lilly smiled back and handed the dress to Miley; Miley held it above her head to keep the bottom from dragging. At the front of the store, Miley left the dress with the cashier so that the two could continue shopping for accessories.

"How about these earrings?" Lilly held up giant silver hoops. They were almost as big as her head.

"I think your ears would fall off," Miley laughed. "What about these?"

"Ooh!" Lilly reached for the sapphire studs that Miley was holding up. She took them and held them up to one ear. "Lilly like-y!"

"Miley like-y, too. And they'll totally match your dress."

"And my ears will stay on," Lilly added with a serious nod of her head.

"Now all we need to find is a necklace to match and a nice pair of high heels," Miley gazed around, looking for a rack of necklaces.

"Why a necklace?"

"Your dress has an open neck. You can't just leave your neck bare, you need decoration." Miley wandered over to some promising looking stands. She sifted through the silver chains and waited for something to grab her attention.

"What about a locket." Lilly asked, holding up a simple chain with a small heart shaped locket dangling from the end.

"Wouldn't you be afraid someone would open it?"

Lilly eyed Miley, "What do you mean?"

"I just thought that… you know… our picture would be inside…"

"Where would you get an idea like that," Lilly scoffed, "I was going to put Jake and his ego on one side… They are such a cute couple, you know."

"Be nice, he's gotten better. And on the other?"

"Oliver and I." Lilly paused for dramatic effect. "You see, Miley, we're madly in love."

"Did someone mention my name?" Oliver entered the dress store, a large dress bag slung over his shoulder.

"Lilly was just telling me about your steamy love affair," Miley deadpanned.

Oliver shot Lilly a horrified glance, "Lillster! How could you! That was supposed to be our secret! I suppose you told her that I'm bearing your child, too?"

Lilly's jaw dropped and she threw a hand to her forehead dramatically, "Oliver! You're pregnant! But I used protection!"

Oliver's face whitened. "Then… please tell me you don't have an evil identical twin…"

"Don't tell me you slept with Jill!" Lilly gasped, her hand once more reaching her forehead.

Miley cut their show off, looking around in embarrassment at the other patrons who were staring. "Guys, guys, save the drama for the soap operas."

Oliver sighed, "Why do you suck the fun out of everything?"

"Because you're talking about sleeping with my girlfriend a little too easily," Miley raised her eyebrows and cocked her head.

He blushed, "You know there's nothing going on… I mean, it was over years ago…"

Lilly leaned over and whispered in Miley's ear, "Confidentially, he ate the crayons."

"I did not! Well… not on purpose. I thought they were Cheetos. At least, that's what Jimmy told me…" Oliver sighed. "My mom said that she'd never seen such colorful throw up in all her years as a cop and mother."

"TMI," Miley groaned.

Lilly waved the locket in Miley's face, "Please, Miles. I wouldn't mind if someone saw our pictures in here. I mean, friends have friend's pictures in lockets, right?"

"If that's what you want," Miley conceded. She found that it was getting harder and harder to tell Lilly no.

"And as for shoes, I can just borrow Hannah's, right?" Lilly wheedled shamelessly.

"Sure," Miley smiled. "So Ollie Waddlekins, what's in the box?"

"I found you a nice tuxedo, Miley… something something-kins. Took a big chunk of my yearly spending money, but you're paying me back, right?"

"Right." Miley glanced at the box, "Do you think it'll fit me?"

"I got the smallest one I could find. And I figured you could always call Hannah's fashion designer, right? He could tailor it better to your frame and everything."

"Good job, Oliver!" Miley would have cheered for him if they weren't inside a formal store.

"Hey, do you guys think Mikayla would go with me to the dance?"

Lilly shrugged, "It's possible. I mean, nobody would know it was her, right?"

"You should ask," Miley almost retched. It was horrible acting nicely about her rival, but if Oliver really liked the girl, the least she could do was be supportive.

"I have to wait for her to call," Oliver sighed. "I have her number set to _One in a Million_."

Miley didn't know if she should be thrilled or disgusted that he had chosen one of her songs for Mikayla. So she smiled weakly, "I hope that works out for you."

Leaving Oliver to moon over Mikayla, Miley and Lilly returned to the cash register. Miley set the earrings and locket down on the counter and went into her purse to find her wallet.

The woman cashier rang everything up carefully, "One satin dress, one pair of earrings, one silver locket. Is that all?"

Miley nodded, "Lilly?"

Lilly confirmed it, "Yeppers."

"Okay… your total comes to 311.56."

Miley handed over her credit card – no longer just for emergencies. She'd learned her lesson the first time around and used it more wisely now. It helped, she found, that it was her own money she was dealing with now. Everything paid for, Miley took the bag containing all three purchases and left the store. Lilly snapped Oliver from his woebegone dreaming and the three of them headed to the food court.

They settled in at a small table, not quite ready to buy lunch yet. Lilly and Oliver got into a small argument over which Backstreet Boy was gay, a conversation in which Miley had little interest. She gazed around and let her eyes settle on a newsstand. One of the newspapers had a picture of her on the front with the headline **Sales Up!**

"I'll be right back," she commented, not that either one could hear her over the quarrel. She hurried over to the stand and put a dollar on the counter. Newspaper bought she returned to the table and flipped to F5, the continuation of the cover story.

_Although album sales did initially drop after Hannah Montana came out, sales have once again skyrocketed. According to _Billboard_, Montana has reached a new demographic with this breaking news – older teens and young adults have not been affected negatively. In fact, previously uninterested in her music, kids aged 16-18 have started buying the CDs, an obvious gesture in support of Montana. Some of the younger audience has dropped away, though that may be due, in part, to the restriction of parents. Her label, _Disney Records_, who had previously reported that it would be dropping the teen idol from their catalog, has, instead, decided to keep her on through at least her summer tour._

Miley folded the newspaper up, not willing to read more. Hannah's career was safe and that's all that she needed to know. She tried to get back into Lilly and Oliver's conversation.

"It's totally Brian!"

Oliver shook his head, "You're crazy. It's Howie. I know these things."

Miley interjected, "Weren't they all gay?"

That ended the argument – neither felt up to denying it. Oliver rubbed his stomach as it rumbled.

"I think I'm ready for some Mexican food." He jabbed a thumb towards Taco Bell.

"Oh come on, Ollie, we eat there all the time. And, it doesn't even count as Mexican food," Lilly complained. "Can we get Panda Express?"

Both looked to Miley for guidance, "Why don't you each buy what you want?"

Her suggestion lit up their faces. It was as if they'd never thought to buy separate meals. Oliver was gone in a flash but Lilly lingered.

"You want anything?"

Miley grinned, "I just figured I'd steal some of your food anyways. I'm not really hungry, but thanks."

Lilly waited a moment more. There was an odd sort of tension between the two and Lilly wanted to comment but didn't. It was getting hard, she found, to keep their relationship secret in public. There 

were moments when all she wanted to do was lean in and snuggle up to Miley, or hold Miley's hand. Those moments translated into uncomfortable silences.

While her friends were gone buying food, Miley pulled out her cell phone – it was vibrating in her pocket. Flipping it open, she greeted her father.

"Hey Daddy, what's up?"

"I thought I'd tell you that Aunt Dolly's in town. We're havin' a barbeque on Tuesday, so if you wanted to invite Lilly an' Oliver and their families, the more the merrier." Robby explained. "And Dolly says howdy."

Miley smiled, "I'll ask 'em. Thanks, Daddy."

"No problem, bud."

"Did you say anything to Aunt Dolly about me and Lilly?" Miley asked nervously.

"No. That's up to you. You know she won't mind," Robby reassured his daughter. "She loves you. I love you, too, bud."

"Bye, Daddy." Miley sighed and snapped the phone shut as Oliver returned with a steaming burrito.

"Ah, yo quiero Taco Bell." He imitated the Spanish accent as best he could.

"What ever happened to that dog, anyways?" Miley asked, mind wandering. She remembered the barbeque quickly, though. "Oh Oliver, are you busy next Tuesday night?"

He shook his head. "Don't think so. Why?"

"My family's having a barbeque and you and your family are invited."

His face brightened, "Could I bring Mikayla?"

Miley suppressed her distaste, barely. "What if she figures out that I'm Hannah and Lilly is Lola? It wouldn't be hard. I mean, Mike hangs out with two female best friends. You hang out with two female best friends. I know she's not stupid."

"Miles, I promise you can trust her," Oliver swore and crossed his heart.

"I don't know…" Miley sighed. "Can I think about it?"

He nodded, "You won't regret it."

She watched Lilly up at the Panda Express and sighed, "Do you really like her? I mean really truly?"

"Miles, I don't expect you to understand, but I know her better than anybody else in the world, I think. And that's after only one date. She's not as big and tough as she makes people think. It's all an act, y'know? Like when you're Hannah you act like a totally different person, too."

"Do I?" Miley questioned.

"Sometimes. I mean, you have a lot more power as Hannah and it's kinda obvious that you know how to use it." Oliver clarified, "It's not a bad thing… you're just different, is all."

"And you're saying that Mikayla isn't a witch under it all?"

"Right."

Miley settled her head onto her arms, "What is the world coming to?"

Oliver didn't quite have an answer.

Lilly returned shortly after, and Miley slid her fork into Lilly's pile of rice. Oliver was sulking over his burrito; another argument had sprung up concerning the sexuality of 'N Sync and Lilly had pulverized him with a few short words. It was obviously Nick, the one who came out. Oliver grumbled but shut his mouth.

"So Lilly, are you free Tuesday?" Miley asked. She held a hand under her fork to catch any renegade grains of rice making a break for it.

"I was planning on spending the day with you," Lilly hid her mouth behind her hand. She disliked talking with her mouth full, but she'd just taken a large bite when Miley asked her the question.

"Great. You should invite your parents to the barbeque." Miley wanted Lilly's parents there, especially Mr. Truscott. Maybe seeing the two girls together would make it easier on him. And if that didn't work, Robby Ray was pretty good with words.

"I still don't see why you don't want Mickey there." Oliver prodded the last remnants of his pseudo-Mexican meal.

"Mickey?"

"Well, yeah. What did you want me to call her?" Oliver questioned. He'd tried thinking of other nicknames but couldn't find anything good. "Ayla? Kay? Mika?"

"I guess Mickey's okay," Miley sighed. "And I'm just worried about her finding out my secret."

"You just have to trust me, Miles. I know she'll be cool about it."

Lilly scraped her plastic fork along the bottom of her plate. "I kinda agree with Miley on this one, Ollie. It's dangerous."

Not wanting to hurt Oliver or his budding relationship, Miley tried to compromise. "Look, if you have another date with her before the barbeque and she really connects with you, you can invite her."

"Seriously?" Oliver jumped to his feet.

"Well, Lola and Hannah would have to tail you guys. I'll give you a sign or something if you're good to invite her." Miley muttered. It was killing her to give in but Oliver was an important part of her life. She had to try and make room for Mikayla, if that's what Oliver really wanted.

"You won't interfere with the date?" Oliver asked suspiciously.

"Not unless you think it's a good idea. I mean, if we happened to run into you two it would be a good chance for me to gauge her goodness level." Miley wiped her fingers on a napkin. It seemed like a good idea to her.

Oliver was quiet a moment, ripping the edge of his used napkin anxiously. "Well, okay, but have some sort of excuse so that you can leave us alone after a while."

Lilly clapped her hands excitedly. "Miley, that's genius! I've been dying for some sushi."

Miley chuckled, "You're really into the foreign food lately, aren't you?"

"Well." Lilly shrugged, "I just figure I might as well see what's out there while I've got someone who can get me access to it all."

"So that's all I'm good for." Miley sniffed, turning her nose up. "I see how it is."

Lilly laughed. "Oh come on, Miles. You know it's not like that."

"I don't buy it." Miley let her eyes widen with false hurt.

"Miley, Miley, Miley…" Oliver chuckled, "You have no control of your woman. Now, Mikayla, I've got her trained." His phone went off and he fumbled with it, "Hey, babe… Yes… of course… anything for you. Is sushi okay? Anything you want."

He snapped it shut and grinned foolishly. Lilly rolled her eyes.

"Who's got who trained?"

Miley kicked her under the table, "So? Do you have a second date?"

"That was my mom… She wants me to pick up dinner." He still had a dreamy look in his eyes.

"Oliver… if that was your mom, then I'm the queen of Sheba."

Oliver bowed, "Your Highness."

Lilly smacked his shoulder lightly, "We're being serious, Ollie."

"Yeah, it was her. Tomorrow night, six o'clock at the Pink Godzilla." He relayed the information.

Miley nodded, "Sounds good to me."

--


	17. Close to Perfect

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 17**  
Close to Perfect

_When defeat is inevitable, it is wisest to yield._ - Quintilian

--

The next evening came much too soon as far as Miley was concerned. She donned her wig regretfully and fiddled with her bracelets as she waited for Lilly to finish prepping. Playing nice with Mikayla was going to prove extremely hard, especially since she couldn't even think kind things about the other girl, let alone carry a pleasant conversation.

"Lilly, I don't know if I can do this," Miley groaned, holding a fist to her forehead. "I just can't stop being angry with Mikayla."

Lilly put the finishing touches on her make-up and turned to view her upset girlfriend. "Miley… just relax. And remember. If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all."

Sighing deeply, Miley nodded and tried to concentrate on that tidbit of advice. "I just have to keep quiet. That's what I'll do."

"Why do I get the feeling that you won't be able to do that?" Lilly reached a hand out expectantly. Miley took the offered limb and squeezed it tightly. "Look, Miley, if it gets bad, just tap me under the table and we'll leave."

"Even if it's before Oliver asks us to leave?"

Lilly pulled Miley close and placed a small kiss on Miley's lips, taking her time. "Whenever you want us to leave, we will."

"We better get going, then. I'm sure Oliver is expecting us any minute." Though she suggested they move, Miley hadn't budged – Lilly wasn't looking to change their arrangement either. It just felt right having Miley wrapped up in her arms.

Eventually, though, they pulled apart, each blushing lightly, and set out for the sushi place. It was close enough that they didn't require a ride there, but Miley pouted because, once again her beautiful red Camaro would be left in the driveway. She was sure it was feeling horribly neglected by now. Miley held tight to Lilly's hand as they walked the streets. Although they were both undercover as Hannah and Lola, they were both under-undercover, disguising their disguises so that Hannah wasn't mobbed on the streets.

The restaurant was less than a block away when Miley stopped short. Her brows knit together with worry.

"What if I ruin this for Oliver?" She whispered hoarsely. "I don't want to hurt him."

"You won't!" Lilly soothed.

"But what if I open my big mouth and Mikayla and I start fighting and Oliver has to choose! I don't want to lose him to her!" Miley's whispers were gaining volume and Lilly glanced around nervously – she didn't want someone overhearing.

"Hannah, just calm down." Lilly tugged Miley's arm, trying to get her moving again.

Miley did her best to take calming breaths. They entered the restaurant and Miley pulled her hat off. The restaurant's staff immediately paid attention to her and Lilly, guiding them to a table without complaint or a wait. Miley read the menu idly, glancing around the room. She spotted Oliver with a blonde girl; correctly, she deduced the girl to be Mikayla. He was smiling widely and she appeared relaxed.

"Are we going to head over there?" Lilly murmured.

Miley nodded, "Let's go, then."

Lilly was halfway across the room before she noticed that Miley wasn't with her. Glaring back at her obstinate friend, Lilly raised a demanding eyebrow. Dejected, Miley got up and followed after Lilly.

"Oliver, I didn't know you'd be here," Lilly greeted Oliver with a small smile.

"Lola, nice to see you," Oliver returned. "This is Faye."

Mikayla stared at Lola with barely hidden distaste. "Hello…"

"And this is Hannah, of course." Oliver stared at Miley for a second, begging her to behave.

"Nice to meet you, Faye," Miley grit her teeth.

"Likewise," Mikayla grunted and turned her attention away.

"Faye, these two are my really close friends… I think you'd like them if you gave them a chance."

Mikayla sighed and gazed at Oliver for several long seconds, "Must I?"

"Yes," Oliver reached across the table and patted her arm. "Please."

Mikayla gave Miley a reluctant smile, "I suppose you already know who I am."

Miley nodded, "He hasn't stopped talking about you."

Mikayla flushed slightly, glancing at Oliver who was beet red. "He's an interesting guy…"

Oliver beamed proudly. He was interesting. "And you're a pretty girl…"

Mikayla reached over to fix his hair, "You know I hear that all the time, right?"

He shrugged, "Not from me."

She conceded his point, "Not from you."

Miley was in shock. She'd never seen Mikayla so soft. "Can I ask you a question?"

Mikayla jerked her arm back, remembering herself. "What is it, Montana?"

"Do you think we could be friends? For Oliver's sake?" Miley extended her hand.

At first, Mikayla didn't respond. She stared blankly at Miley's hopeful face. Lilly and Oliver both held their breaths, anticipating some sort of argument to spring forth. Nothing happened, though, other than Mikayla accepting the handshake.

"For Oliver."

Miley sighed with relief. "Oliver, you can invite her if you really want to."

Lilly gasped – she didn't expect Miley to trust Mikayla with her secret. "Hannah, are you sure you trust her?"

"Oliver says she's alright. And his word has always been good enough for me," Miley sighed.

"Thanks, Hannah! Um, Mikayla, would you like to come to a barbeque with me? As my, um, date?" Oliver stuttered.

Mikayla bristled slightly; she liked being in control and making dates. She didn't hold onto boyfriends for long because of that behavior. Most of the guys she knew wanted to be the 'man' in the relationship. It was bothersome if they tried to make plans for her.

"I suppose." She jabbed a chop stick into her bowl of rice. "But don't get used to asking me places, Oliver. I make the plans here, got it?"

Oliver smiled, "I just have one other question, before you take the pants back."

She chewed on her lip a moment but sighed, "One last request."

"Would you like to go to a dance with me next Friday?"

"I suppose." That seemed to be her one answer.

Oliver pumped his fist in the air, "You're too great."

Lilly tugged on Miley's arm, "Hannah, a waiter is heading to our table… We should probably get back there so we can order."

Miley and Lilly bid the two goodbye and headed back to their table. Oliver watched them go with a smile.

"Thanks for trying, Mickey."

"Oliver, you will not call me that," she ordered.

"What should I call you?" He realized his mistake a moment after speaking. "Oh, sorry Faye. I slipped up."

"Just make sure to remember next time." She pushed her dishes to the side, finished eating. "Why was Hannah so worried about trusting me?"

"Well…" Oliver glanced at Miley and Lilly who were flirting openly as Hannah and Lola. He rubbed his head. "It's just, it's Hannah's barbeque. But she won't be Hannah. She'll just be herself so if you're there, you'll know who she is when she's not Hannah Montana…"

"Let me get this straight…" Mikayla tried to sort through his mess of dialogue, "If I go, I'll know who she really is?"

"Right. And that's a big thing for her. Only a few people know and we can't let her secret get out for the sake of her privacy." Oliver grabbed Mikayla's hand. "It means a lot if she'd let you into her life just because I like you."

Mikayla sighed. "I won't say anything. I promise. We might be rivals, but I'm not going to ruin her life."

"I knew she could trust you. I was telling her all along." Oliver brought Mikayla's hand to his lips, kissing the back of it tenderly.

"Enough." Mikayla rescued her hand, blushing lightly. "I guess I should thank you."

He shrugged, "There's nothing to thank me for."

"You're right." His behavior was to be expected, she reasoned. He was a nice guy and trusting people was a nice guy thing.

--

Lilly found that she enjoyed sushi much more than French food, though Miley wasn't sure if she was fond of it. The walk home after eating was pleasant. Since it was a little later in the evening, there were fewer people on the streets and Miley didn't have to be as covert. It also helped that the lighting was dim; therefore, people wouldn't be as quick to recognize Hannah Montana.

Miley kept her hand around Lilly's waist, holding Lilly as close to her as possible. She wasn't feeling very talkative but she didn't think there was much to talk about. The evening had gone well, the stars were out, and she had Lilly pressed against her. It was as close to perfect as it could get. Lilly's mood was slightly less enthusiastic, but content all the same. She wished they could be this close without hiding behind Hannah and Lola.

The lights were still on when Miley reached her house. She tugged Lilly inside with her and pulled her wig off.

"Miles, I should get home!" Lilly had already removed her wig.

"Come say hi to Aunt Dolly." Miley insisted. "She was asking about my current relationship last night and I didn't really want to explain without you."

Lilly hesitated further, "Can't this wait? I mean, I'll see her on Tuesday…"

"If you really want to put it off." Miley nuzzled Lilly softly. "I won't make you."

Lilly checked her watch, "It's not that I don't want to tell her, it's just my mom is expecting me home in like five minutes, and I don't want to rush this conversation."

"Good thinking." Miley agreed, "So… You want me to walk you home?"

Lilly shook her head, smiling. "No, I'm okay. You should go visit with your family."

After a short goodnight kiss, Lilly strolled home. Her thoughts were incredibly preoccupied – Miley could be so open about their relationship at times but so closed whenever it suited her. It was driving Lilly crazy. Either they were together or they weren't. It wasn't something that Miley could control on a whim.

She sighed as she stepped into her house. Miley would loosen up, she was sure of it. Winter break was coming and they would be able to settle into their relationship then. Soon enough, Lilly decided, she'd want less physical contact in public, not more. All they needed was a long break from other people.

--

During lunch the next day, Miley bought two tickets to the dance. Oliver also bought two and they returned to where the lunch table where Lilly was waiting.

Miley opened her mouth to talk, but Oliver's wistful sigh stopped her short. "I wonder what Mickey's going to wear."

"I thought you weren't supposed to call her that," Lilly grinned.

"What else am I supposed to call her?" Oliver asked, digging into his meal.

"Isn't her fake name Faye?" Miley chuckled; it was a silly fake name.

"Yeah, Faye Key." Oliver's eyes widened considerably. "I just got it! Fakie! That's really funny! She's so smart… and wonderful… and pretty…"

Miley shoved his shoulder, "Can you put a stopper in your gob?"

Lilly resisted the urge to reach under the table and set her hand on Miley's leg. "Miley, let him gush. You know how it feels to be a girl in love."

"Yeah!" Oliver agreed. Moments later his eyebrows furrowed, "What's that supposed to mean?"

Miley couldn't hold in her loud guffaws, "Niiiice, Lilly. Nice."

Lilly smiled smugly, "Don't worry, Oliver. We won't joke like this around her."

Oliver crossed his arms defensively. "You better not… I really like her."

"We won't… So, you gave her directions for tomorrow?" Miley asked.

"Yeah," Oliver returned to consuming his meal.

"And you're sure she's trustworthy?" Miley bit onto her lower lip. This was a big thing for her, letting her rival know her secret.

"She already told me she wasn't going to spill to anybody," Oliver reassured her as he slurped up a long strand of mystery meat.

Lilly grimaced in disgust, "How can you eat that stuff?"

Oliver grinned, "I'm a guy. It's food. You do the math."

"How do you know she's telling the truth?" Miley demanded.

"I just do. Miles, I know her really well." Oliver set his fork down. "If you don't trust her, just trust me."

Miley sunk down in her seat and cast her eyes to the floor. She felt slightly guilty for grilling Oliver like that. But… this was her secret they were talking about. If it got out, the life of Miley Stewart would be ruined. She'd be stuck as Hannah Montana. It's not like she just went out and told people for the fun of it.

Lilly rubbed Miley's arm – she wasn't sure if Miley would approve of this public gestures but it was something that friends did, right? Miley smiled at her gratefully.

"Ollie, put yourself in her shoes, will you?" Lilly whispered. "If someone finds out and even accidentally says something, her life as we know it is over."

Oliver's bright mood dimmed slightly, "I get it. I know what's at stake, but I trust her."

Miley waved a hand at him, "Let's just move on, okay?"

"So are we still okay with her coming?" Oliver questioned nervously.

"Yeah, yeah. But know this… If she says anything, I'm holding you responsible." Miley threatened.

He smiled weakly, "Good thing she won't say anything."

Miley shrugged. If he trusted Mikayla that much, she might as well give the girl a little credit. Lilly scooted her chair a little closer and tried to lay her leg next to Miley's. Miley shot her a warning glance and that killed any hope she had of physical contact in the lunch room. She completely withdrew and scooted more towards Oliver.

After school, Miley left Lilly with Oliver on the grounds that she had some family business to take care of. Lilly watched her run off with a heavy heart. Oliver took note of her long face and was very confused.

"Lils, what's up?" They walked slowly down the sidewalk. Her eyes were glued everywhere but on him.

"It's silly…" Lilly chuckled sadly. "I just… Miley just shuts us off whenever she wants… and I don't think that's fair."

Oliver nodded, "I saw that in the cafeteria."

"It's not even just that!" Lilly threw her hands into the air, "She pretty much decides when we're dating and when we're not allowed to even be touching."

"That's not good," Oliver agreed. "Have you tried talking to her?"

"No… I'm waiting for winter break. I was hoping that we'd be able to work something out then. It's just in the meantime; I don't know what I'm going to do. Is it so wrong to want to hold her hand? Or 

let our legs touch?" Although she asked the questions, Lilly wasn't really looking for answers. It was just nice to let someone else know her pain.

"It's not wrong at all," Oliver commiserated. "But at least you go to school with your girlfriend. I have no idea where Mickey is, what she's doing, who she's with…"

Lilly giggled, "Sounds like we've both got it bad."

"We should write a blues song for Hannah Montana." Oliver chuckled.

Lilly linked arms with him. "Thanks for being a good listener, Ol."

"No problem, Lil," he returned.

--

Meanwhile, Miley barreled into her house, nearly knocking Robby Ray over as she pounded upstairs and threw her backpack to the floor. Once again nearly toppling her dad, she ran back down and flung herself onto the couch.

"Hey there, bud, what's the rush?" Robby put his hand on his head, possibly to stop the spinning of the room.

"Where's Aunt Dolly?" Miley glanced around, "I wanted to talk to her."

"Without Lilly?"

"Yeah." Miley sighed, "Sometimes I think she doesn't want anybody to know about us. It's so frustrating. I tried to get her to come in last night but she wouldn't. So I figure I should tell Aunt Dolly before the barbeque, even if Lilly won't."

Robby wasn't sure if that was a good idea. Things involving a couple should be done by the couple, not one half of said couple. But he had already decided that he wasn't going to butt into his daughter's relationship with Lilly.

"She's down on the beach."

Miley shot off the couch and raced down to the beach. She was excited to find her aunt. Dolly would understand no matter what. For Miley this was the last person on her list of people she wanted to know about the relationship.

"Aunt Dolly!" Miley yelled when she was about fifteen feet away. She gave one last burst of energy to get her to her aunt's side.

"Hey there kiddo," Dolly greeted her with a wide smile.

Miley hugged her tightly. "I wanted to talk to you. It's about who I'm dating."

"I knew you were dating!" Dolly cried. "Is it that Jake Ryan boy? He was a cutie."

Miley shook her head, "That's kind of what I wanted to tell you… It's not a boy."

Aunt Dolly paused and narrowed her eyebrows, "Not a boy? What is he, then? A dolphin?"

"No, she's not a he," Miley tried to explain, "Aunt Dolly, I'm dating a girl."

"Oh, well that makes more sense." Dolly sighed, "I was hoping you weren't goin' inter-species."

Miley relaxed considerably, "It's Lilly."

Dolly beamed, "I knew you had good taste, sweet pea. Is she treatin' you right?"

Miley nodded, "The best."

"So why isn't she here tellin' me with you?" Dolly raised her eyebrows.

Miley let her hands fall to the sand. Her fingers sifted until they hit upon something hard – either a shell or a chunk of driftwood. "She didn't want to tell you yesterday, so I figured she wouldn't want to tell you ever."

"Did she have a reason?"

"She said she had to be home in like five minutes," Miley explained, "but I don't know if that's the truth."

"Seems like a good excuse, though, hun." Dolly dusted the sand off her Capri pants.

"But you're okay with her, right?"

"Of course, Miley. As long as she doesn't hurt you, that is."

Miley shook her head, "Lilly would never do that."

"Then you have my blessing." Dolly got up and extended a hand down to Miley. When they were both standing they turned and walked placidly up to the house.

--


	18. Connections

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 18**  
Connections

_Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much._ - Oscar Wilde

--

Tuesday afternoon came quickly – Miley had been watching the clock all day. She couldn't wait to have everybody together having a good time. Robby Ray had fired up the barbeque, Lilly and her parents – even her dad – had arrived, though Oliver and his family hadn't shown up yet.

Mr. Truscott was very anxious looking. He was uncomfortable when Miley and Lilly were even standing close to each other and had to look away if they actually touched. Miley hoped Lilly didn't notice his behavior; Lilly, of course, saw the way he was acting and tried to distance herself from Miley.

Robby Ray also saw something fishy going on with the other man. "Hey, Ed, want to help me grill a moment?"

Ed sighed – he knew something like this was going to happen. He hadn't wanted to go to this barbeque in the first place but Heather was a very persuasive woman. Disgruntled, he walked over to the grill and waited for Robby to start harassing him.

"I know what you're going to say, Rob." Ed muttered.

"You do? That makes my job a little easier." Robby held out a long brush expectantly. Ed stared at it.

"Aren't you going to tell me to relax? That I need to accept my daughter's relationship because it makes her happy?" He questioned, quite confused.

Robby laughed. "No sir. I figured you get that on your own. I was going to ask if you could marinate the steak."

Ed cleared his throat, "Is it so wrong of me? To want her to date guys?"

Robby shrugged, "It's not my place to tell you how to father your children. I'm supportin' Miley because I love her and being with Lilly isn't hurting anybody."

Scowling darkly, Ed splashed some of the teriyaki marinate on the waiting steaks. He turned and walked bitterly away. For someone who didn't want to tell him he was a bad father, Robby sure knew how to lace his words with poison.

"Heather, I'm going home," he spat out. He didn't need to stay here and get berated for his beliefs.

"Ed! Don't do this!" She whispered fiercely back.

"Do what?" Lilly had approached, overhearing the heated words. Miley was a few steps behind her looking worried.

"Nothing, Lilly. Your father isn't feeling well."

Mr. Truscott shook his head, "I can't watch you two together. It's disgusting! I'm not going to stay and stand by while my daughter is being immoral."

Miley took a step back, completely blown away by his attitude. "Mr. Truscott, please…"

"I won't hear it." He shook a finger at her, "You're the one who lead Lilly down this path. It's your fault she's wrong."

Lilly narrowed her eyes. "Take that back, dad."

"I will not!" He gazed at her, "Lilly, why are you doing this to me?"

"This isn't about you! This about Miley and me and us being happy." She hurled her words at him like spears.

"How can you be happy?" He returned. "Sinning only provides momentary happiness. In the long run you'll be miserable!"

Mikayla, Oliver, and his family chose this moment to enter the backyard. They were all smiling pleasantly; Mikayla, for one, seemed in a particularly good mood. Oliver had his arm wrapped around her waist. They stopped dead in their tracks, however, after seeing the argument that had bubbled over.

"Did we come at a bad time?" Mikayla questioned.

Ed stopped in his rant and gazed at the newcomers. The look on his face made it seem like he was a puppy that had just piddled on the carpet. Without another word he stormed away, leaving Lilly looking lost.

Oliver gave Mikayla an apologetic squeeze before relinquishing his hold and hurrying to Lilly's side. "Lilly, are you okay?"

Miley could only stare at where Ed had gone. He was infuriating. How dare he talk to Lilly that way! Lilly was his daughter, even. She clenched her hands into fists, wanting to chase after him and smash his face in.

"Miley, maybe you should be the one doing this?" Oliver called quietly. Miley turned her attention to Lilly and sighed.

"I know." Miley took Oliver's place, hugging Lilly as if her life depended on it. Lilly barely responded. "Please, Lilly, it'll be okay…"

Miley was terrified, to say the least. The last time something had happened with Lilly's father, it had ended with Lilly dumping her. She couldn't take that happening again. So, in a way, her life did depend on that hug. Lilly felt a stray tear travel down her cheek.

Uncomfortable watching this all unfold, Robby cleared his throat, "Who wants hotdogs?"

Lilly's mom raised her hand, understanding that he was trying to get the attention away from the drama. "I could go for one."

Oliver rubbed his stomach, "I could go for like three."

Slowly but surely the rest of the party returned to normal, or as close to normal as it could get. Miley rubbed Lilly's back, trying to calm her shaken girlfriend. Eventually Lilly got control of herself and hugged Miley back.

"Thanks…"

Miley pulled away slightly and kissed Lilly gently, "I'll always be here for you, you know that right?"

Lilly placed her head on Miley's shoulder, "I know… I just wish my dad would be, too."

"He'll come around, Lilly. Just give him time." Miley dropped her arms. "We should go say hi to Oliver and Mickey."

Lilly gave a watery chuckle, "Don't let her hear you."

Mikayla wandered up to them with a plate in one hand and a soda in the other. "Hi…"

Miley was deeply surprised at how calm, almost shy, Mikayla seemed. "Hi, Mikayla. I guess I should introduce myself. I'm Miley, and this is Lilly."

Lilly leaned close to Mikayla, "She's Hannah. I'm Lola."

Miikayla rolled her eyes, "Really? That was so incredibly hard to figure out."

"So… what are your intentions with Oliver?" Miley asked quite seriously.

"I…" Mikayla trailed off. She wasn't sure herself. "Well, I'm not going to hurt him."

"You better not."

Mikayla shrugged her shoulders. "He's a nice guy. It would be like kicking a puppy."

Lilly laced her fingers with Miley's and leaned against her girlfriend. "No, I'd say it's more like kicking a worm."

That elicited a small giggle from Mikayla – it surprised her just as much as it surprised Miley and Lilly. She flushed slightly, not used to being so relaxed around people. Her expression re-soured.

"Well, thanks for inviting me, I guess." She flipped her hair and turned away. Oliver was over chatting with Heather and she hurried to his side.

"I don't think I'll ever get over the fact that she likes Oliver so much as to be polite to me," Miley shook her head in disbelief.

Lilly shrugged, "Love makes you do funny things."

"Do you love me?" Miley whispered.

"That's a silly question." Lilly returned. "Miley, I love you." Lilly gazed into Miley's eyes, searching for something.

Miley responded with a soft smile. "Lilly, I love you… I was just afraid…" Miley couldn't finish her statement.

Lilly paused, thinking. "Afraid I'd leave you again because of my dad?"

Miley shrugged and looked to the ground. Lilly released her grip on Miley's hand and seized the other girl's shoulders. With a tiny shake, she got Miley's attention on her face.

"Miles, I'm not going to leave you again. It was hard the first time and it'll be hard this time. But this time I know what I want. You make me happy and it doesn't matter how loud my dad screams."

Miley had to smile, "It sounded more like screeching."

Lilly smiled back. "Fine, he can screech as much as he wants. He's not changing my mind or my heart."

The rest of the barbeque went off without a hitch. As the sunset, Robby Ray set a bonfire aflame in the sand. Bags of marshmallows were brought out, as well as roasting sticks. The kids settled themselves around the fire while the adults stood nearby chatting quietly.

Oliver helped Mikayla set up her first marshmallow. "If you want it really crispy, let it catch on fire."

"Ollie, I've roasted 'mallows before," she reprimanded. He withdrew with an apologetic smile.

"Great." He set himself up and stuck his puffy white treat into the center of the fire. It was flaming instantly. Before he could rescue it, it fell from his stick and burned to death with the logs.

"You're helpless." Mikayla sighed. She roasted her first one perfectly and handed it off to him. He smiled at her winningly.

"Thanks, Mickey."

Groaning, she set to firing up a new one. He wouldn't stop calling her that, no matter how much she complained about it. She had grown to accept it and found that she didn't mind as long as it was only him saying it.

Lilly chuckled as she tried to blow her marshmallow off – she'd been so entertained by the other couple's bantering that she'd accidentally left her marshmallow in too long. Miley didn't even bother putting hers on the fire. Raw marshmallows were good enough for her. At some point during the evening Jackson had come through, snagging a few marshmallows on his way home from working at Rico's.

The fire died down eventually – but there wasn't anybody awake enough to care. Lilly was curled up in Miley's lap, dead to the world. Miley was vaguely awake, running her hands through Lilly's limp hair. Beside her sat Oliver and Mikayla, Oliver between Mikayla's legs. His head was on her shoulder and his mouth was slightly agape as he snoozed.

"Hannah, or Miley, or whoever you are…" Mikayla whispered, not wanting to wake the sleeping friends, "…thanks for trusting me."

Miley shrugged, "It's no big."

Mikayla didn't respond verbally again, though she couldn't help but think that she'd found a great set of people to be her friends, if they'd have her. Eventually, Oliver's parents came over and shook Oliver awake. They left with Mikayla, leaving Heather talking with Robby and Dolly, and Lilly still slumbering on Miley.

"I just don't know what to do about him…" Heather sighed, cradling her cup of hot chocolate between her palms for warmth.

"I'm not one to give him advice. I guess you just have to let him cope with it. She tried talking to him, you tried… It's all up to him, now."

She sighed. "I know this is hard on Lilly. She loves him so much, always has. I mean, he taught her how to ride a bike, helped her learn to tie her shoes. He's always supported her before."

Robby stared up at the sparkling night sky. "She's a strong kid. I'm sure she'll learn to live with it."

"That's the thing, Rob. I don't want her to 'learn' to live with it," Heather felt like crying.

Dolly rubbed the other woman's shoulder. "Now, Heather, all you can do is make sure that Lilly knows you love her no matter what. As long as she has you, she'll be fine."

The elder Truscott wiped her eyes and set her cup aside. "I should get Lilly home. It's getting late and it is a school night."

Robby nodded, "If you ever need people to talk to, Dolly and I would sure be glad to listen. And Lilly's welcome here anytime."

Heather woke her daughter and the two headed for home – Miley missed the warmth of Lilly's body and hurried up to her bedroom to regain some heat under her blankets. Robby poured sand on the fire, dousing it safely. He checked on Miley after cleaning up the backyard; she was already sound asleep. Tucking her in, he kissed her forehead, wondering idly how Lilly's father could ever be so judgmental of his own daughter.

--

Wednesday went slowly, way too slowly for Miley. Lilly was slightly down during the school day and Miley desperately wanted to turn that frown upside down. She thought she'd find a way later in the evening, but it was almost painful for her to watch Lilly and know there was something wrong. After school was over, Miley sought Lilly out before she left and hugged her tightly. Lilly gratefully clung to her.

"Do you want to go out tonight?" Miley asked, hoping Lilly would say yes.

Lilly shook her head, though, and sighed. "I have an RC meeting, but I'll call you after, and we can watch a movie or something… or you could come to the meeting?"

Miley shook her head, instantly shooting down Lilly's hopes. "Sorry, I, uh… just don't… you know?

Lilly nodded and the two parted ways, but would not meet that night. The next two days passed with an odd sort of tension between the two. Lilly was getting more and more frustrated with Miley's on-and-off relationship habit. Miley just chalked it up to being nervous about the dance.

As they were leaving school on Friday, Miley stopped Lilly at her locker. "Do you want to get ready together tonight?" – half of her wanted them to do this together, the other half wanted to surprise Lilly with her suit. She'd had it tailored down to her size; the shoulders had been a little wide.

"No, no. My mom promised to help with my hair and make-up and stuff." Lilly shrugged, trying to keep her distance, as per Miley's wishes. "Do you need my help?"

Miley shook her head, "I want it to be a surprise for you. Can you come by my house at like six-thirty? I'm sure my dad will want to take pictures."

"Can my mom take pictures, too? She was asking about it," Lilly shrugged apologetically.

"Sure. Might as well get as many pictures as we can. Who knows when I'll be wearing a suit again," Miley pulled away from her Lilly and smiled sneakily. "Unless, of course, you like it."

Lilly cheeks turned a faint pink hue. "We'll see."

Miley parted from Lilly and hurried home. She wanted to look perfect for the evening. It was still a few hours away from the dance, so she first decided to eat a little snack and watch some television while she could still wrinkle her clothing. The suit wrinkled easily and she needed it to be perfect.

At around five o'clock she hurried up to Hannah's closet and started getting ready. She first donned the pair of black suit pants and ran a roller over them to make sure no stray hairs clung visibly to the fabric. She had never been so glad that her dad didn't let them own a dog. She grabbed some ace bandages and gritted her teeth. She pushed the air from her lungs to make sure she didn't put it on too loosely and started binding her chest down. The mild pain that accompanied it was nothing like she expected and gradually she grew used to the pressure on her chest. After finishing off the roll of bandages she threw on a light white under shirt followed by a formal white blouse. Before putting the jacket on, she went to her bathroom and messed with her hair for a while, trying to get it to stay out of sight.

Pretty soon she realized her solution – a hat would cover it nicely. Luckily she had a formal black top hat from a Hannah charity performance. She settled it onto her head and smiled at her image in the mirror; she looked sharp. More importantly, though, she looked like a boy. A pretty boy, but a boy nonetheless. She fixed a sky blue tie around her neck and draped the jacket over her arm. She squared her shoulders in an attempt to appear manlier.

She went to her room and retrieved the two tickets she had bought. Tucking them into the inner pocket of the suit jacket she hid them away for later. She pulled a pair of high heels for Lilly out of Hannah's closet and found herself a pair of nice black flat shoes. She headed downstairs where Robby was waiting with the camera. At the bottom of the stairs, a flash went off, leaving her nearly blinded by the light.

"Daddy!" Miley rubbed her hands over her eyes.

"You look nice, bud. You'd look good in a dress, too…" he hinted. Over the past few days he'd been trying to convince her through the means of small verbal hints and suggestions that she should at least discuss coming out with Lilly. He knew that hiding their relationship was probably a strain at times.

"Lilly's the girl this time." Miley sighed. She couldn't wait for Lilly to arrive in that lovely blue dress.

He shrugged, not willing to say more. "I'd ask you to pose with Jackson, but the darn boy already left. He didn't look half as gentlemanly as you."

Miley chuckled, "I think I'm a better boy than he is."

Dolly entered the room, smirking, "Miles, you're a girl… Of course you're better at bein' a man."

"Aunt Dolly, how do I look?" Miley flaunted her suit in a feminine way completely unbefitting her new gender role.

"Very fine, sweet pea." Dolly clapped her hands in approval. "I can't wait to see Lilly next to you."

They didn't have to wait long; Lilly knocked on the front door. Miley rushed to open it, eager to lay eyes on her date. The door wouldn't open quickly enough for her, but when it did, Miley could only gape. The reaction, though, seemed to be mutual.

Lilly's jaw dropped open, "Miley… is that you?"

--


	19. Uncovering The Truth

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Chapter 19**  
Uncovering the Truth

_Feel the fear and do it anyway. _- Susan Jeffers

--

"Miley… is that you?"

"It's Marcus tonight," Miley responded with a grin. She spun in a circle, showing off her tuxedo. Her chest was pinned down and her hair was pinned up beneath a formal top hat. Even her makeup had been done to make her look more like a boy.

"You look… hot…" Lilly was still gaping like a fish. Of all the girls she knew, she would have thought that Miley was the last one who would look good in a suit. But the longer she stared with her mouth open, the better Miley looked. Miley's slim stature made the tuxedo fit perfectly, although the suit had probably been altered.

Miley blushed slightly in response, "So do you."

Lilly reached up to hold onto her locket. Her hair was hanging airily around her face; it had taken hours to get it to look just right and tons of hairspray to make it stay. Her sapphire stud earrings glinted nicely from her earlobes and their sparkle was matched only by her smile; she'd used make-up to accentuate her glossy lips.

It was then they remembered that there were other people around. Heather entered the living room with her camera clutched tightly in her hands. Robby had them stand together as the two adults took pictures. Dolly, for her part, reorganized the two girls into good picture poses. All in all it took nearly fifteen minutes for both parents to be satisfied.

The last picture left Miley standing behind Lilly, arms wrapped around Lilly's waist, eerily similar to the cover picture on the magazine. She tilted her face down to kiss Lilly's shoulder.

"Should we… get to the dance?" Lilly whispered.

"Absolutely," Miley bowed, sticking to her guise as a gentleman. She offered her arm and Lilly accepted it, heading out to Miley's red Camaro, which she was all too excited to drive somewhere important.

"So… Marcus, huh?"

"How many boys do you know with the name Miley?"

Lilly chuckled as Miley opened her door and she stepped in. "None. But then again, you're the only female Miley I know."

Miley leaned in as she shut the door and kissed Lilly's nose. Lilly couldn't restrain her smile.

"I'd hope so," she commented, walking around to her side. "Roxy's wanted to clone me for protection and I was afraid maybe she'd actually done it."

They fell into a comfortable silence as Miley started the car and they were on their way.

Lilly set her hand on Miley's thigh as they neared the school. "I wish we could be this open all the time."

Miley stiffened slightly. "I know."

The music was blaring from the school and Lilly dropped the conversation as Miley parked and got out to hold the door open for her. There was a teacher collecting tickets near the entrance to the gym and Miley handed over their two. They were admitted without question, though Miley did get a suspicious glance from the staff.

"Shall we dance?" Miley whispered, running her lips along Lilly's cheek.

"Can we find Oliver and Faye first?" Lilly asked.

Miley shrugged, "If that's what you want."

They turned and gazed around the packed gym. It was a swarm of guys in suits; finding Oliver would be like trying to find a strand of hay in a needle stack.

"Call Oliver's cell phone," Lilly suggested. She didn't wait for Miley to react, though, as she pulled her own phone out and dialed. "I just hope he can hear his ring tone."

"I'm sure he put it on vibrate anyways." Miley reasoned; then she realized who they were trying to reach and sighed. Correcting herself, she said, "I hope he hears the ring tone."

Lilly shook her head, "No answer."

"What's next?" Miley eyed the dance floor. She really wanted to dance with Lilly but after Lilly turned her down earlier, she wasn't going to suggest it again until Lilly asked her.

"We find where the food is."

Miley grinned, "And where there's food, there's Oliver."

Lilly shrugged, "I was actually just kinda hungry."

"Lilly!" Miley laughed out loud. "Can I get you some punch, my dear?"

"Sure. I'll stay right here, so you can find me when you get back."

Miley headed for where she had seen the big bowl of punch. She waded through thick crowds of people and struggled to keep her hat in place. Successful in her endeavor, Miley grabbed two paper cups and filled them with fruit punch. Vaguely she wondered if anybody had spiked it, but wrote it off as silly worry. She tried a sip of the liquid but found she couldn't tell if anything was wrong with it.

Lilly, meanwhile, had fended off quite a few lonely males as they approached her in hopes of dancing with her. She had turned them all down, politely, but hoped Miley would return soon. The boys didn't think her date really existed and had gathered around her expectantly.

"Marcus!" Lilly called as soon as Miley was within hearing distance, "Marcus, come here!"

Miley hurried back as soon as she saw the pack of hungry males. She pushed them aside and handed Lilly the drink.

"Here, Lilly. I hope these guys weren't bothering you." Miley tried to make her voice an octave deeper. The other males grumbled but left the couple alone.

"Did you see Oliver anywhere?" Lilly asked.

"No…" Miley shook her head. She gave another glance through the packed gym and almost lost her balance, "You'll never guess who I see dancing!"

Lilly stared around wildly, "Who?!"

"Jake Ryan and Sarah!" Miley laughed raucously. "Oh, I'm so going to make fun of him for that!"

"Wouldn't have seen that one coming!" Lilly agreed. "So we've found Jake. It shouldn't be that hard to find Oliver…"

They returned to their search, weaving between people wherever there was room. Eventually they found Oliver; he was in the middle of the dance floor. His arms were practically pinned on Mikayla because of the people around them, but she didn't seem to mind much. Lilly reached forward and tapped his shoulder.

"Lillster and…" Miley's name died on his lips. "What do we call you?" he whispered

Mikayla clucked, her way of laughing without making a scene, "Milton?"

"Marcus," Miley stated, indignant. "I think it's a good name."

Mikayla flicked a hand at her, "If you want…"

"So…" Oliver glanced at Mikayla, obviously wanting to return to the dance, "Nice seeing you guys."

Lilly grinned devilishly, "Oliver, you dog. I hope you use protection."

Oliver's face turned bright tomato red. "Lilly! I wasn't going… too soon! Stop it!"

Mikayla gripped his shoulders, "Ignore them. Pay attention to me."

Lilly couldn't help but giggle madly. Miley rubbed Lilly's arm, trying to get Lilly's attention back.

"Now can we dance?"

"Yeah…" Lilly replied reluctantly. Miley took note of the tone, but said nothing, at first. A few minutes past without comment and Miley relaxed. She wrapped her arms tightly around Lilly when a slow song came blasting through the speakers.

"Lilly… why don't you want to dance with me?"

Lilly rested her head on Miley's shoulder, not wanting to talk about it. She knew she had to, though. "I'm just kinda frustrated, that's all."

Miley swayed in time with the music, not letting her sudden panic affect her beat. "About what?"

"You act so nice when nobody knows we're together. But as soon as it's us and not, well, Annah-hay and Ola-lay, you flip some sort of switch and I can't touch you." Lilly whispered. "I feel like I'm the on-again-off-again girlfriend."

Miley winced slightly. "I'm sorry… I didn't know I was doing that."

Lilly rubbed her nose on Miley's neck. "I just wish we could be open about us."

Miley bit her lower lip; her heart rate quickened in response to her thoughts – maybe being open would be okay. There would always be people like Mr. Truscott who frowned on their relationship, but there were bound to be people like Robby, Mrs. Truscott, Dolly, Oliver… the good list seemed never ending. Miley knew Robby had been hinting at this for a while now and she wished she'd listened to him.

Oliver bumped into her from behind, skewing her hat on her head. It seemed to finalize her decision. She pulled her arms from Lilly and reached up to her hat. Pulling it off, she flung it into the crowd, knowing that nobody would know where it came from. She shook her long brunette hair out and returned her arms to Lilly's sides. Lilly stared at her blankly.

"Marcus… what are you doing?"

"I'm done hiding, Lilly." Miley snuggled close. "You want an open relationship, you got it."

Lilly flushed slightly and returned Miley's tight embrace. "Aren't you worried about what they'll say?"

"Yes," Miley admitted honestly, "but as long as I've got you and you've got me and we've both got Oliver, I think we'll be okay."

Oliver glanced over his shoulder and nearly had a heart attack. "Marcus! Your hat!"

Miley turned her head, "I don't need it."

Mikayla nodded to her, providing her approval, though she'd never say it out loud. Miley nodded back. A few seconds passed and in that time Miley found that she had the three best friends she could ever ask for – it didn't occur to her that it was strange that Mikayla now counted as a best friend.

Miley turned her mouth to Lilly's neck, kissing the open surface gently. Lilly interrupted the affection by putting her lips in the way. Her hands rose from Miley's arms to Miley's neck, tangling in Miley's now loose hair. She let her mouth open just barely wide enough to deepen the kiss.

It made her feel like a summer breeze – Miley was going to be open about her! No more secrets, no more hiding! Lilly thought that she could walk on air. In her mind's eye she pictured life after winter break: perhaps they'd sneak in a kiss during the passing periods, like Lilly'd seen every other couple at the school do, or maybe they'd hold hands as they walked to class.

Mikayla sniffed, nearly disgusted with their soppy display of love. It made her want to retch, the cuteness of it. To take her attention off it, she leaned in and kissed Oliver soundly – he nearly fell 

over. It was their first kiss together and he was more than thrilled. And, as he found out, she really knew how to kiss. He was one happy chap when she pulled away and flushed.

"Faye… has anyone ever told you that you're amazing?" He whispered, eyes sparkling happily.

"Of course." She tilted her nose into the air. "Basically by everyone I meet."

"Oh…" He lost a little of his steam. It was meant to be a compliment.

She softened when she saw his reaction, "But not by anybody like you."

In an instant, his unruly grin was back. "Thanks."

"This goes nowhere, got it? What's said to you, stays with you." She stared at him, testing his will with her eyes.

He shrugged, not looking for a fight, "Of course."

"I guess you can talk it over with them," Mikayla jerked her head in the direction of Miley and Lilly.

Oliver blushed, "Thanks, Faye."

"And I was thinking… how would Mike like to be Mikayla's official boyfriend?" She'd been thinking about this for a while. It would be a good way to stop all those stupid men from hitting on her and give her a reason to be with Oliver in public.

"Mike would love that." Oliver suddenly felt ten feet tall.

"But you're going to have to meet with my personal stylists. Your outfits generally look like you traded clothing with a stage manager from one of Hannah's concerts." She complained softly. "And Mikayla can't be seen with anything less than perfection."

Oliver's shoulders drooped. "I'm trying my hardest…"

"Oliver, you're fine. It's just your clothing," Mikayla assured him. "Just don't do anything too embarrassing when we're in public."

"You've got it, captain." He nearly saluted before realizing they were still dancing.

"And besides, if you don't look good, I'll get shown up by Miley again. Miley's got gorgeous arm candy, so I need some too." She raised her eyebrows expectantly, "Can you do that?"

"What? Be a piece of candy? Or just look smokin'?" He teased.

"You know what I mean."

"You know what they call me." Oliver smirked and bobbed his head slightly, "Smokin' Oken. Oken by name, smokin' by looks."

"Cut it out." Mikayla riposted, "You're embarrassing me."

"So no more Smokin' Oken?" He asked – she shook her head. "How about the Ollie Trollie?"

"No."

"Triple O?"

"No."

"Mr. Malibu?"

"No… How do you even have that title?" She chuckled. "Never mind, I don't even want to know."

--

The dance wound down slowly as people began to get tired and drifted home. Miley was willing to stay all night, if that's what Lilly wanted, but Lilly was more interested in finding somewhere more private. As they headed for the gym doors with Oliver and Mikayla in tow, they ran into Jake Ryan.

He smiled at her, taking in her suit and her hand clasped with Lilly's. "Wow, didn't know you had the guts, Stewie. Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Miley exchanged a look with Lilly and they smiled. "Go ahead, Miles. I'll just be outside with Oliver and… Faye," she kissed her lightly before heading out the doors.

Miley grinned at her ex-boyfriend, "So, is this where you declare your undying love for me? What would Sarah think?"

"We're… it's nothing, I guess. She just looked lonely… But she left halfway through the dance to take the night shift at an old folk's home." Jake stared her dead in the eyes. "Miley, I need to thank you."

"Thank me? Why?" She was utterly confused. "What did I do?"

"You were a friend to me, and you helped me be… normal." Jake nodded, "Yeah, normal. And it's been great. So thanks." Smirking, he winked at her and left her standing in the nearly empty gymnasium.

Smiling, she left the dance and found her friends waiting outside. The night air was cool, but not to the point where they'd require jackets.

"So… we've still got some time to burn," Oliver quipped when Miley rejoined the group, "What do you girls want to do?"

All three answered at the same time –

"Movie!"

"Food!"

"Park!"

Oliver rolled his eyes. "Faye wants to go to the movies, Lilly wants food, and Miley wants to go to the park. Sounds reasonable."

Miley chuckled, "Well, if Lilly wants food, I'll go to a restaurant with her. You and Faye could catch a movie while we eat, and we can all meet at the park afterwards."

Mikayla nodded shortly – the arrangement was satisfactory. "I like that."

Lilly beamed, "Way to go Miley!"

"So we'll meet at McCallister Park in three hours, okay?" Miley asked Oliver, who nodded in response.

Oliver patted his pockets, trying to remember if he'd brought his wallet with him. Luck smiled down on him – it was safely tucked into his jacket. "What do you want to see?"

The two wandered down the sidewalk, heads close together. Lilly resisted the urge to whistle loudly. Instead, she turned to Miley and smiled.

"So what did Jake want?"

Miley's smile grew wider, "To thank me."

Lilly looked positively stunned. "For what?"

"Nothing, he was just being Jake."

Lilly smiled at Miley, enjoying being with her in the open.

"What kind of food do you want?" Miley asked, still smiling. "Remember, though, that I can't get us instant reservations right now."

"That's okay. Anywhere is fine." Lilly rubbed her stomach, "Actually, I'm not that hungry. Can we just go to the park?"

As they got in the car and drove towards their destination, Miley tried to keep a conversation afloat between them.

"It's a nice night, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"I like the stars… They're very… er… starry."

"Yeah."

"Little cold, though."

"I guess."

"You're pretty."

"Yeah."

"Lilly, I know you're not listening to me." Miley walked slowly, quite hurt by Lilly's actions.

"Yeah." Lilly blinked suddenly, snapping out of her reverie. "Oh, Miley, I'm sorry."

Miley shook her head. "I don't know what's gotten into you lately."

"I'm just scared, Miley." Lilly admitted hesitantly.

"Lils, nothing bad is going to happen. When we go back to school in January, there will be people acting stupidly, but we'll get through it." Miley broke off her speech when she stopped the car and the playground of the park came into sight. "I'll race you to the swings!"

Lilly smiled – Miley was definitely not a runner, so this race would be too easy. "You're on!"

They both bolted out of the car and broke into a sprint with Lilly pulling into an early lead. She slowed herself down to let Miley catch up. Feigning like she was running her hardest, Lilly kept even with Miley only to fall behind at the end, giving the win to Miley.

"Lilly, I know you're faster than me," Miley chided, trying to catch her breath properly. "But that was sweet of you…"

Lilly grinned, "I claim the tire swing!"

While Lilly clambered in, Miley stood behind the rubber contraption and waited patiently until Lilly was safely aboard. She gave it a few good shoves to get Lilly really going before turning tail and dashing to the main jungle gym. Jumping quickly, she raced to the top of the metal tower and spread her arms to the night sky.

"I claim this tower in the name of Queen Miley!" She giggled foolishly.

Lilly tried to get off the tire, but found that it had spun her too much for her to see straight. She ended up falling into the woodchips and sitting there for several moments as her vision steadied. As soon as she was ready, she sprang to her feet and ran to the jungle gym.

"You shall never claim this land!" She hollered up at Miley. Miley turned her attention from the stars down to the blonde girl ten feet below.

"And who are you to stop me?"

"I am Lady Lillian! I was born to rule this land!" Lilly began to climb the structure. "My father conquered this land way before you got here!"

Miley chuckled and turned to climb down the other side. If it was a chase Lilly wanted, a chase Lilly would get. She jumped the last few feet down and took off for the monkey bars. Lilly reached the top and shook her fist at Miley's back. Hot in pursuit, she slid down and darted away. Sensing her imminent danger, Miley skipped the bars and just ran for the grassy area surrounding the playground. Vaguely remembering that she was in formal wear, she tumbled down and waited for Lilly to catch up.

Lilly hit the ground next to her, panting madly. "I'm going to fight you to the death, oh false queen."

Miley shoved her gently, "Oh no! You aren't man enough." She dusted off her suit jacket, "And we both know how manly I can be."

Lilly laughed derisively. "Well, you'll let your guard down eventually and then I'll strike."

Miley raised her eyebrows in disbelief. She lunged forward and pinned Lilly to the grass. "Like that?"

Lilly sighed, "No! You can't defeat me!"

Miley chuckled. "I guess the only good solution is marriage."

"Oh, Miley, I thought you'd never ask."

Dropping the game, Miley leaned forward and kissed Lilly's cheek. "Lilly, are you feeling better now?"

"Yes." Lilly wished Miley would kiss her again. It was moments like that when Lilly knew they'd be together forever.

"We've still got like two hours before Oliver and Mikayla show up…" Miley whispered suggestively.

Lilly tried to roll over and switch their positions but met with resistance. Miley wasn't willing to give up her dominant stature. One pleaded look from Lilly weakened her resolve, though, and she gave in. Once on top, Lilly wasted no time soundly kissing Miley. Her dress proved frustrating, though, and soon enough Miley pushed her back down.

She slid her knee along Lilly's as far as the dress would permit. Lilly's hands found their way onto Miley's waist, holding Miley steady. As Miley pulled away for a breath of fresh air, Lilly gazed up at her lovingly. Her hands stayed in place and after a moment, Lilly tried to pull Miley back down to her lips. Miley took a side trip, though, and set her attention on Lilly's neck.

Lilly groaned softly, enjoying the attention. Her hands dropped to her side weakly. Miley took that as a good sign and continued. Even if she'd had her mind together, Lilly wouldn't have had Miley stop. Miley dipped lower, kissing along Lilly's bare chest, going the edge of Lilly's dress. Pausing, Miley glanced up to meet Lilly's gaze – Lilly's eyes were half shut and glazed. Miley let her fingers trail up to the edge of the dress, sliding under the edge.

"Miley!" Oliver hollered. "Lilly!"

Miley flinched and drew back. "Damn it! What!?"

"What are you two doing down there… Oh. Oh! I'll come back." Oliver had approached a few minutes earlier, trying to spot his two best friends on the off chance they'd skipped dinner. Mikayla hadn't wanted to see any of the movies playing at the nearest theater so Oliver decided they could just go straight to the park.

"Where are they, Ollie?" Mikayla grabbed his arm. He quickly positioned himself between Mikayla and Miley and Lilly.

"Um… There." He pointed behind him, "They'll join us in a moment."

Miley gave Lilly a hand up with a disappointed smile. Lilly sat up and dusted her dress off. "Miles, can we talk?"

"Yeah, of course." Miley waved to Mikayla before holding up her forefinger to signify it would be a moment.

"It's just… I'm not sure if I'm ready to… well… you know." Lilly stared at the grass bashfully, "I mean, I really love you and I like kissing you but…"

"It's okay, Lils, I understand." Miley tipped Lilly's chin up with delicate fingers and smiled softly. "We have years ahead of us. I shouldn't have pushed you."

Lilly flung her arms around Miley. "Yeah. We have years."

Oliver laughed loudly at something Mikayla said and Miley tugged Lilly along to meet up with the other couple. Miley felt, at that moment, that if she had another shooting star to wish on, she'd have to wish for the evening to never end.

--


	20. Epilogue

**Unsung**

by Qym

Rewrite by Damien J. Frost

**Disclaimer:** Hannah Montana, and all items associated with, are property of Michael Poryes, Richard Correll, Barry O'Brien, _It's a Laugh Productions_, _Disney_, et al. There is no profit being gained from the content of this story and it is to be used solely for private entertainment purposes. The plot is the intellectual property of the writer. No parts of this story are to be duplicated or posted elsewhere without the expressed permission of the author.

This story is rated "T" or "PG-13" by the guidelines of the fansite on which it is posted.

**Epilogue**  
Christmas

_To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides_. - David Viscott

--

Lilly stared at the little box in her hands, wondering if her gift would measure up. It was a small trinket, something she'd forgotten about until doing her laundry. In one of her pairs of water shorts she'd discovered a small pink shell, about the size of a quarter. After much consideration, Lilly had gone to a jeweler and requested a small hole be drilled through the top and a chain laced through it.

It was small, it was seemingly insignificant, but to Lilly it represented the day she first thought she might have feelings for Miley. She didn't expect Miley to understand it, but this shell was something special. It had been placed into a small padded box for safe keeping and wrapped in flashy green paper. Lilly had used a few strands of red ribbon to fashion a bow to tape on top.

One thing she really appreciated was that Miley had agreed with her on one key fact – their Christmas exchange wasn't going to be extravagant this year just because their relationship had changed. Miley expected nothing from Lilly, and Lilly expected nothing from Miley.

Lilly was spending Christmas Eve with the Stewarts, even going so far as to sleepover – something Robby Ray and her mother were relenting to only because of the Christmas season. Christmas morning she'd head home for Christmas morning with her mom and brother and then Miley, Jackson, and Robby Ray would join the family – including her father – for Christmas dinner. That was the part Lilly was most anxious about – the group hadn't re-gathered after the nearly catastrophic barbeque and even now, Lilly walked on eggshells around her father.

Ed, for his part, was trying his hardest not to bring it up. If Miley came up in conversations, he'd duck his head or look away, not contributing his opinion. Lilly was grateful for his effort, but she couldn't help but feel it wasn't enough. It was nice he wasn't being verbally abusive of the relationship, but he wasn't accepting it, either.

Startled from her thoughts by her cell phone, Lilly picked up the annoying device and answered it was a wide smile and pleasant voice.

"Hey, Miles."

"Hiya, Lils. I can't wait for tonight!" Miley was sitting on her bed, staring at the small box in front of her. It was early December twenty-fourth and she was anxiously awaiting her time with Lilly. Her own gift was very small, but she hoped Lilly liked it.

"Well, it's almost three. I'll be over in like two hours," Lilly rubbed her fingers on her wrapped package.

"I just couldn't wait that long to hear your voice…" Miley chuckled. They'd come a long ways since the dance. Since they'd chosen to become more open, there was a lot less tension between them. If one of them wanted a kiss, she got it. If one of them wanted a hug, she got it.

"You're sweet," Lilly sighed. "You know I'd be over there right now if I could be."

Miley switched the phone from one ear to the other, "I know, love. It's too bad that…"

"My mom is still hoping he'll get over it." Lilly set her gift down beside her. Mr. Truscott had been hard to convince about this whole holiday set up. He didn't want Lilly over at the Stewarts more than necessary; he'd blow a gasket if he knew Lilly was sleeping over there. It seemed like he thought Robby Ray was just going to let them do whatever they wanted together.

"Does it bother you?" That was Miley's biggest concern. She had already accepted the fact that Mr. Truscott wasn't going to be supportive but she knew it was a strain on Lilly.

"Yeah, I think it always will," Lilly sighed, "but I can live with it."

"I love you," Miley murmured – her mood had plummeted slightly.

"You, too," Lilly returned. "I'm going to go hang with my mom for a little while. I'll see you at five."

"Okay… Bye, babe." Miley hung up moments after Lilly had responded with a goodbye of her own. She fingered her present and relaxed slightly. If only there was something she could do about Lilly's dad.

She tucked her phone into her pocket and got to her feet. A picture of Lilly grinned at her from her bedside table and it helped bring back some of her holiday spirit. Greatly cheered, Miley headed downstairs. The Christmas tree was perched by the piano. It was heavily laden down with ornaments hanging off every available branch.

A stack of presents sat at the trunk, ranging from golf ball sized to almost tall enough to reach Miley's waist. Receiving gifts wasn't the reason she loved the holiday so much, though. She loved Christmas because of the togetherness that came with it. It seemed to bring the best out in people. Of the gifts under the tree were two small packages from Miley – one for Oliver, as usual, and one for Mikayla.

Robby Ray approached from the kitchen with a small plate in his hand. He opened the piano and set it down inside. Miley glimpsed a wedge of cheese on it.

"For Linda." Robby explained. "I thought we should include her. She's practically family, y'know."

Miley smiled and nodded, "I'm sure she thanks you for your kind present."

"So Lilly still set to come over?" Robby knew that the tension with Mr. Truscott hadn't diminished with time. It had dulled slightly, but it was no less damaging to Lilly.

"Yeah. Just got off the phone with her," Miley rubbed her pocket.

"Well, I hope she likes her present. Are you goin' to make her wait til tomorrow?"

Nodding her head, Miley blushed slightly, "I wanted to pull her aside privately tomorrow night. It's kinda personal, and all…"

"Don't worry about me an' Jackson. We'll leave you be." Robby had to wonder about what the gift was – Miley had been so secretive about getting it.

"Thanks."

Their conversation was cut off as Jackson laughed a little too loudly from his seat on the couch. Bits of popcorn dropped from his gaping mouth as he pointed at the television with one hand and slapped his thigh with the other.

"Dat's sho funny!" He cracked up. Miley glanced over his shoulder, trying to figure out what the heck he was watching. Jackson finished off the popcorn in his mouth so he could talk better. "That Charlie Brown! That tree isn't nowhere good enough!"

Miley rolled her eyes, "Jackson, you watch this every year. You know that it turns out alright in the end."

"Shush!" Jackson waved a wild hand at her, "You're ruining the end!"

"Leave the boy be," Robby chided her softly. "As long as he's watchin' that, he's outta my hair."

Chuckling, Miley obeyed. "So, Daddy, can I help you with anything? Need help makin' dinner?"

"No, bud. Why don't you go spend some quality time with your brother…?"

"Daddy!" She complained loudly, "Please… anything but that!"

He grinned at her and nodded before heading back to the kitchen. Miley went to the couch and plopped down next to Jackson. She smiled at him hesitantly, unsure of what exactly this would accomplish. He guffawed, completely ignoring her. Feeling so loved, she turned attention to the screen – it was a way to pass the time until Lilly arrived, she reasoned.

The movie ended and Jackson flicked the channel away from ABC – other than their Charlie Brown holiday specials, it held little interest for him. He let the TV Guide channel play as he waited for something to catch his interest. Miley stared blankly at the screen, knowing any suggestion she made as to what they watched would be rejected flat-out.

"Miles, can you set the table?" Robby called from the kitchen.

Grateful to be saved from Jackson's land of bad television, she hurried to the kitchen and took out four plates, four sets of silverware, and four glasses. She settled them down onto the festive green placemats at the table. As a finishing touch, she placed a candle in the center of the table and lit it. Robby Ray set his dishes down on hot pads around the middle of the table for easy access.

"Lilly should be here any minute." Miley practically danced. Christmas just put her in such a good mood. Her mood brightened further as Lilly pushed the door open without bothering to knock.

"Hey Stewarts! Merry Christmas Eve!" She called, smiling broadly and throwing her overnight bag to the ground.

Miley ran to her and hugged her. Lifting slightly, she spun Lilly in a wide circle. Giggling madly, Lilly struggled against the hold.

"Just in time, Lilly," Robby called from the kitchen. "Dinner's done, table's set."

"I'd come eat if your daughter would put me down!" Lilly directed her comment more at Miley, who immediately set her down.

"Who am I to get between a Lilly and her food?" Miley shrugged her shoulders. "You remind me so much of Oliver sometimes."

"There's a difference." Lilly stated defensively. "He's a sloppy pig, while I am a dignified goat."

"So what's the difference?" Miley questioned.

"Well, pigs eat slop. Goats just eat anything."

"Goats eat garbage, you know that right?"

"So I'm a tiger shark?"

"They eat garbage, too."

Lilly fell silent, brooding. "Fine. I eat like a Lilly."

"I can accept that." Miley pranced to the table and pulled Lilly's chair out for her. Once Lilly was seated, Miley helped push her close to the table.

"See, I told you you'd be better at the boy-work than me," Lilly grinned.

Miley blushed, "Only for you."

"If you two are done with your little yuck-fest…" Jackson peered at them.

"Don't mind him. He's just upset 'cause he can't get a girl." Miley explained to Lilly, ignoring his indignant cries.

"Miley," Robby warned. "Let's start this dinner."

Miley took her seat and soon the large meal that Robby had painstakingly put together was gone. Plates filled and emptied quickly and half an hour later, Miley felt that she would burst if she had to eat even one more. By the end of the meal, it had turned into an eating contest between Lilly and Jackson – they both reached for the last scoop of pudding. Glaring daggers at each other, they tested the other's will. Lilly gave in, not because she was full, but because she didn't want to fight for a scoop of pudding.

Robby was the first to speak after Jackson shoved that last bit of food down his throat. "Wow, boy, I didn't know you had all that space in your stomach."

Jackson looked a little queasy, "I didn't either…"

Lilly cackled, "I could eat you under the table."

He ran for the bathroom as Lilly boasted her victory. Miley giggled nervously. For all Miley seemed to be the gentleman in the relationship, Lilly could sure put away food like a boy. Robby shook his head, unsure if he should be worried or not.

"Miles, can you and Lilly help with the dishes. I'd ask Jackson but—" The sounds of retching could be heard from the bathroom. "Well, it's just better if you two help."

Lilly got up wearily. "I feel like I'm pregnant."

Miley smacked her forehead, "Lilly, I've told Oliver so many times to use protection."

They set to work cleaning pots, pans, dishes, silverware, and every other dish Robby set before them. Getting bored, Miley splashed soapy water at Lilly who reacted by turning the spray nozzle on Miley. Grabbing the dish towel, Miley whapped Lilly on the arm and tried to get away. They collapsed on the counters giggling and wet.

Miley leaned forward, waiting for Lilly to meet her half way in a kiss; Lilly gladly complied. It was sweet and soft and Miley only drew back when she heard Robby returning to the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas, Lils."

Lilly smiled, "It's still only Christmas Eve, Miles. You do know you're going to have to step your game up tomorrow."

"I can do that." Miley promised.

"Do what?" Robby questioned. He spotted the watery mess and sighed. "You girls can set out the cookies for Santa while I dry this up."

Lilly scrunched her eyebrows together questioningly at Miley, "Santa?"

Miley shrugged – their family enjoyed the tradition. She pulled out a fresh plate and glass. Selecting a few different kinds of Christmas cookies, she set out four cookies and a fresh glass of milk on top of the piano.

"Daddy? Me an' Lilly are going to head upstairs okay?"

He nodded, "Don't stay up too late, girls. Remember, he knows when you are sleeping, he knows when you're awake…"

"Can do, Mr. S." Lilly grabbed her bag from where she'd abandoned it earlier and pounded up the steps right behind Miley.

Once up in Miley's room, they both changed into pajamas and crawled into Miley's bed. They had no intentions of sleeping, though; instead, they nestled close together and chatted quietly with the lights out. Miley, for one, wasn't about to start anything romantic between them in the bed because she was fully intent on listening to Lilly's wishes to wait. When it happened between them, it would be when both of them were ready. Near eleven o'clock, Miley finally dozed off. Lilly smiled and yawned slightly. She snuggled closer and let her own eyes fall shut.

--

Morning light peeked through Miley's large windows, rousing Miley from a pleasant dream. She hugged her teddy bear closer to her body, enjoying the soft scent that it had clinging to it. It smelled oddly like Lilly's hair. Her eyes adjusted to the light and a smile crept onto her face – waking up next to Lilly was great, she had to admit. During the night she had managed to spoon Lilly, locking her knees behind Lilly's and draping a heavy arm over Lilly's side.

"Lilly… Lilllllly… LILLY!" Miley tried whispering. She tried using a moderate, but sing-song tone. And finally, in a last ditch effort, Miley let loose a loud yell. Lilly shot out of bed like a bat out of hell, eyes wide and body quivering.

"I swear! I didn't hide the rubber ducky!" She cried, staring around the room wildly. Her eyes settled on Miley and an intense blush started at her ears and filled her face, "Um…"

"Merry Christmas, Lilly!"

Lilly smiled widely, "Oh! That's right! Merry Christmas, Miles!"

"I hate to break it to you, Lilly," Miley sat up and pulled her covers aside, "But you'll have to wait to open your gift until later tonight. I need to give it to you in private."

Lilly pouted slightly, but nodded, "Well, you can just wait for yours, too."

"Should we head downstairs?" Miley asked, checking the clock. At seven in the morning, Jackson had probably already ripped through half his presents.

"Can't we just wait here for a little? It's not that I don't want to watch Jackson attacking his presents, it's just that I'd rather spend a little time with you."

Miley clambered on top of the covers she'd just pushed down and pat the area next to her, "Sure thing, jelly bean."

Lilly shot over to her, bouncing on the surface like a hyperactive kangaroo. "Man, I wish it would snow. I mean, we never get snow, but it would be so cool if I could see snow on Christmas."

"Maybe someday we'll take our winter holiday out in Colorado or something," Miley suggested, "We have time to visit everywhere, especially if I can talk daddy into getting a Hannah jet."

"Isn't that expensive and kind of pointless?" Lilly asked. "I mean, you could just as easily get a first class ticket for much cheaper than owning and keeping up an entire jet."

Miley sighed, "I guess it's the thought behind it. I mean, London Tipton has a jet."

"She's also an airhead heiress." Lilly pointed out.

"But her jet is so cool." Miley wistfully remarked, "But I guess you're right, if you want to be practical… You should have seen her closet. I needed a map and I still got lost around Hat Land."

"She had an entire Land devoted to hats? And I thought Hannah's closet was impressive."

They chattered on for half an hour or so, mostly talking about people Hannah had met and the extravagant lifestyles many of those people had. Lilly envied them but decided that living simply had its advantages. After all, she wasn't chased by fans every time she stepped out the door. Being friends with a celebrity had taught her to value her anonymity.

"Girls! You up?" Robby hollered from downstairs.

"Yeah, daddy! We'll be down in a minute!"

"Good! Pancakes are getting' cold!"

Lilly's face lit up, "Oh! Pancakes!"

Miley leapt off the bed and thundered downstairs. At the bottom of the stairs Lilly brushed past her and took the closest seat. Miley contained her laughter, barely. It was becoming terribly obvious that she'd always take second place in Lilly's life, second only to good food.

"I'm glad one o'you likes my cookin'. I'd say she's a keeper, Mile." Robby joked, "Want some pancakes with your syrup, Lilly?"

She shook her head, "Ha-ha, Mr. S. Very funny. Like I haven't heard that one before."

After breakfast was inhaled – Jackson was feeling much better – Miley and Lilly turned their attention to the still wrapped packages under the tree. Robby Ray had added a few presents over night from 'Santa', along with a few small packages for Lilly. He felt that Lilly was a big part of their family so he and Jackson had gone shopping to pick a few things out.

The first thing the girls unwrapped were from matching packages – they both fell over laughing as they pulled out matching sheep sweaters, very similar to the kitty sweater Miley had received not horribly long ago. They pulled them on in the spirit of the moment and Miley pressed the nose on hers. It baaed obediently and the girls collapsed into giggles.

Several gifts later, Miley and Lilly were feeling all the more holly jolly. The underside of the tree was now covered in discarded paper, plastic, and bows. They'd managed to stick one of the giant red bows onto Jackson's head. He didn't seem to mind while he was in the house, but tore it off as he headed to work.

"I can't believe Rico's making me work on Christmas…" He complained as he rushed out the door. "I mean, who's going to buy hotdogs, water, or sunglasses on Christmas."

Lilly chuckled, "He almost convinced me to come down and buy a water. Almost."

Miley shoved her shoulder playfully, "Oh come on. We might as well. It's Christmas."

Robby gestured to the couch, "Are you girls going to watch some Christmas movies with me?"

Miley gazed at him doubtfully, "Please not A Christmas Story again… We watch that every year and it gets more and more boring every time."

He sighed, "Well, why don't you call Oliver and see if he wants to come over for a while. You have a gift for him, don't you?"

"Yeah. I wonder if Mikayla's with him." She went to the phone and dialed. A few moments later Oliver picked up.

"You've reached Oliver Smokin' Oken… I mean just plain old Oliver. Nothing smokin' here…"

Miley covered the mouthpiece of the phone and called to Lilly, "Yeah, Mikayla's there with him."

He laughed, overhearing her, "How'd you know?"

"Only she could break you of your habit of silly nicknames." Miley laughed. "Look, I was calling to see if you and Mikayla wanted to come over for a few minutes. I have something for both of you."

"Sure! We just finished breakfast over here. Give me a chance to change into something other than my pajamas and we'll be right over." He hung up.

Miley was suddenly struck by inspiration, "Daddy, do we have any mistletoe?"

He shook his head, "Jackson refuses to let any in the house. I guess too many girls broke tradition with the poor boy."

"Well, a sprig of green will have to do. They won't be able to tell." Miley ran onto the back porch and snapped off a few leaves of a nice green plant. She hurried to the front door and enlisted Lilly's help. "Lift me up, will ya?"

"Don't you need something sticky to make it stay?" Lilly asked.

"Good idea!" Miley darted to the kitchen and grabbed the scotch tape. Back at the door she waited expectantly for Lilly to raise her up. Lilly wrapped her arms around Miley's legs and lifted. Using one hand to steady herself on Lilly's shoulder, Miley placed the greenery above the door. Hoping Lilly would keep her safe, Miley took her hand off the shoulder and ripped off a few pieces of tape and stuck those leaves securely in place.

"Looks good." Lilly grunted as she set Miley back on the ground. "Guess what?"

"What?" Miley asked, though she knew what this was about.

"We're under the mistletoe."

Miley glanced at Robby Ray, "Well?"

"I'm going to go get the morning paper… I figure that's like thirty seconds…"

"Thanks, daddy." As soon as he was out the back door, Miley placed her hands on Lilly's waist and pulled Lilly in for a quick kiss. Robby's seconds were always three times faster than everybody else's. Her estimation was right – eleven seconds later, Robby came back in with the paper clenched in his hands.

Miley and Lilly fell on the couch a few moments before Oliver entered with Mikayla. Lilly cackled and pointed above their heads. Oliver spotted the trap first, but made no move to kiss his girlfriend. She stared at him, daring him to try something. He didn't dare.

"Oh come on, Ollie. Be a man." She prodded.

"It's okay with you?"

She rolled her eyes, "No. I don't want my boyfriend kissing me."

"Oh! I get it." He leaned forward and kissed her quickly.

When the initial attack was over, presents were exchanged. Miley was shocked to find that Mikayla had brought something for her as well. Each had given each other a CD. Miley blushed slightly as Mikayla pulled the wrapping paper off.

"Wow, I've wanted this for a while. How'd you know?"

Miley jabbed a finger at Oliver, "I had him help me."

"That's comical." Mikayla retorted, "I had him help me, too."

Miley opened hers little package to find a CD she had been wanting as well. "Oliver's such a good shopper."

"Well I do have three female best friends." He soaked in the admiration until Mikayla shoved him off balance.

The day continued in good fun and good humor until around six in the evening. Miley and Lilly had taken turns in the shower, cleaning up before heading out with Jackson and Robby to the Truscott residence. Lilly was terribly afraid that her dad was going to try something during dinner. She hoped he would just bite his tongue.

Outside the house, Lilly pulled Miley aside for a moment, "Miles… can we possibly keep the PDA to a minimum in there?"

Miley nodded, "I totally understand. Hands off. Got it."

They entered the house to find Heather cheerfully cooking it up in the kitchen. Will was in the living room watching football. Jackson joined him in there while the girls went into the kitchen to offer assistance.

Robby found Ed in the backyard, a water bottle clutched tightly in the other man's hand. He sighed – somehow he'd gotten the idea that maybe the man would have changed. Making his presence known, Robby settled down next to the uptight fellow.

"Hello, Ed."

"Robby." Ed stated coldly.

"Look, Ed, I'm not going to tell you what to think, but I'm going to ask you, man to man, not to make a fuss today. It's Christmas. Take a break and enjoy yourself. If it helps, pretend they're not dating, just for today. I know they've already decided not to touch each other around you."

Ed took a few deep breaths, "I'm trying. I am."

"I know." Robby waited to see if Ed would continue; he did.

"I hate that I can't look at my daughter anymore." He stated blandly.

"Lilly knows that. She's waiting for you." Robby assured him.

"I just hope she'll wait long enough for me to come around. I know she can't wait forever."

"She would. You're her dad. She loves you."

"Boys, come and get it!" Heather rang a classic triangle dinner bell, calling the others from their various places in the house.

The meal went well enough. Ed kept his temper in check and managed a few, tense smiles in Miley's direction. Robby's words stayed put in his head and he found that it did help to think of his daughter and Miley was just friends. Lilly couldn't have been happier. To her it seemed like Mr. Truscott was finally coming around. It didn't, however, give her the nerve to touch Miley at dinner. Ed was grateful.

As the evening faded to dusk, Miley pulled Lilly aside, "You ready for your present?"

Lilly shook her head, "I want to give you mine, first."

"If you really want." Miley wasn't going to complain.

Handing her gift over, Lilly glanced away, filled with nervous energy. Miley would have no idea what this gift truly meant, but Lilly had a little monologue running in her head about how she was going to explain it.

"Lilly… it's beautiful…" Miley cradled the necklace in her hands. "Help me put it on?"

Lilly beamed, "I found it that day you met Jeremy on the beach. It was the day I started to think, maybe I was really jealous of him, well of boys in general, and how they acted around you. I guess it's the day I really started figuring out that I love you."

Necklace in place, Miley placed a thankful kiss on Lilly's cheek, "My turn, now."

Miley dug the box out of her pocket and handed it over to Lilly. She hoped this would mean as much as the elegant shell necklace. Lilly stared at the box in confusion – it was a ring box.

"Miles, I know I said I'd marry you that day at the park, but aren't we a little young?"

Miley grinned and stared at her expectantly, "Just open it. And I haven't really proposed yet. That would come after college."

Lilly blushed, "I see."

She tore the paper off the box and flipped the velvet box open to reveal a small silver band, plain except for a small sapphire set in the metal. Curious, Lilly lifted the band free from its case and stared at it.

"So… if it's not an engagement ring, what is it?"

"I call it a promise ring." Miley whispered. "I promise that I will always love you. I promise never to hurt you purposefully. I promise to support you, no matter what. I promise to always be there for you." She took the ring from Lilly's hand and slid it on Lilly's right-hand ring finger. "And I promise that I will always, always be yours."

Lilly threw her arms around Miley's neck, "And I promise I'll wear it every day and never take it off."

Christmas, Miley found, was her favorite holiday. Not because of the presents, but because of how it brought people together.


End file.
